The distribution industry is undergoing a major change with the development of bases for traffic, changes in consumer needs, and the increased import of manufactured goods. Paying attention to the changing physical distribution industry, the Ministry of Transport has taken various measures to ensure that physical distribution activity can be carried out flexibly and accurately in response to such changes.
In parallel with the development of high-speed motorways, truck transport
has been accelerated and rationalized. With the opening of the Seikan Tunnel
and the Seto-ohashi Bridge, distribution services are undergoing such changes
as transfers among transport facilities, and this trend deserves attention.
In response to the remarkable expansion of distribution services for consumers,
such as "takuhaibin" (door-to-door delivery service of parcels) (Fig.
13, See Note), housemoving services and "trunk-room services" (Fig.
14), we have taken various steps for consumer protection, including the
institution of standard terms and conditions contracts of carriage, the rationalization
of fares and charges, and the creation of claim-settlement channels. Note. Trunk-Room
Service
A service to keep furniture, clothing, art objects, furs, documents, magnetic
tapes and other small, non-commercial articles at the request of consumers and
business companies.
As for the Freight Villa plan, a pilot project is now under way toward a
full-scale operation (See Note).
As for multimodal transportation which has made remarkable progress in recent
years, we have drafted a Japanese text of a standard terms and conditions contract
of carriage for international intermodal transport to standardize obligations
and expedite smooth transactions.
Note. Freight Villa
The Freight Villa is a consumer distribution system that combines a warehouse
located in the suburbs of a large city and a transport system like "takuhaibin",
designed to keep house-hold items not in immeditate use for a certain period
at a low cost.
Since April. 1988, the Ministry of Transport has undertaken a pilot project
with the cooperation of warehousing and trucking operators.
In response to the changing trade environment that surrounds Japan, we need
to develop a system for imported manufactured goods at ports and harbors. To
cope with the sharp increase in international air freight, there is a need for
a drastic study of the air freight handling system.
In order to develop facilities capable of meeting diverse and sophisticated
distribution needs, we have promoted the development of physical distribution
modernization terminals and bases for high-level physical distribution activity.
By revising the law on the promotion of industry in rural areas, we are planning
to introduce to rural areas various physical distribution services now concentrated
in large cities and their suburbs.
Most distribution services are run by medium-and smallscale operators, and
their business faces difficult conditions. To improve the constitution of medium-and
small-scale enterprises, we have provided them with various facilities, such
as modernization measures, anti-recession measures and business sophistication
measures.
We are planning to re-examine various regulations related to physical distribution
services so that physical distribution activity can be carried out flexibly
and accurately in response to changing physical distribution needs and an efficient
physical distribution system can be established for all transport facilities.
The Physical Distribution Committee of the Council for Transport Policy has
worked out an "opinion concerning business regulations related to the trucking
industry and intermodal transport services" concerning the trucking industry,
the opinion suggests abolishing the supply-demand adjustment rules and changing
the present licensing system to an authorization system; concerning intermodal
transport services, the opinion calls for creation of an across-the-board, comprehensive
system for freight handling operators. The section referring to the physical
distribution industry in the "recommendation concerning the relaxation of public
regulations, "compiled by the new Council on Administrative Reform, incorporates
the opinion's basic thinking as the main point of reform. The Ministry of Transport
will take necessary legislative steps on the basis of the opinion and the Council's
recommendation.
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