Chapter　2 　Changes in the Environment Surrounding Transport Industry and Problems

1.　Changes in the Environment Surrounding Transport Isdustry

　 　The transport industry has been influenced in many ways by factors such as the diversification of people's sense of values; changes in the market environment brought about by wider choice in terms of time and convenience resulting from the high value-added industrial structure; cost structural changes emanating from the yen's appreciation, which has been prevailing for several years, and stagnant crude oil prices; the recovery of active business behavior thanks to excellent corporate perfomance; progress of internationalization in many aspects of Japanese economic activdties; the ever-increasing shortage of labor due to the prevailing economic boom and changes in labor awareness; and changes in the economic and social environments owing to the rapid evolution of information-systematization through the combination of telecommunications and information processing. With respect to changes in the market environment, growing manpower shortages and the evolution of information-orientedness in particular, both industrial and administrative sides are urged to take prompt action.

　

2.　Changes in the Market Environment and Problems for Transport Industry

　 　In recent years, the environment in which the traffic market has undergone vast changes, affected by progress in the improvment of infrastructures, sophistication of the industrial structure, and diversification of people's sense of values. In addition, the needs of people hoping to realize higher standards of living, which will enable them to feel truly affluent, are also rising. These changes have enhanced the competitiveness of transportation modes and firms, which offer excellent services in terms of speed and flexibility, bringing about changes in competitive relations in the transport industry.
In such circumstances, various regulations have been under re-examination and steps to promote competition have been introduced in recent years, while restrictive measures that need to be sustained have been maintained in order to revitalize the traffic market by giving full scope to the market mechanism that reflects competition among transportation modes and among transportation firms, and provide prises and between transportation companies, and provide users with a choice of service (Fig. 4).
To make the traffic market more competitive and to ensure the revitalization of the traffic market and the more efficient allocation of resources, there is a need to continue pushing ahead vigorously with the improvement of the competitive environment, including a review of so that they can be adapted to the changing times, from the standpoint of sustaining a competitive traffic market. In this case, efforts must be made to ensure smooth cost reductions through competition in freight rates and passenger fares so that they will be paid back to users in general.
In improving the competitive environment, it is necessary to consider so as not to hinder the provision of services by impairing safety and confusing users.

　

3.　Manpower Problems in the Transport Industry

　 　At present, there are widespread labor shortages with demand for manpower rising as a result of the prevailing economic boom and with attitudes toward work changing. In actual fact, some sectors of the transport industry have been hit hard by severe manpower shortages, notably young workers (Fig. 5).
　 　The transport industry is a labor-intensive type industry and chiefly comprises smaller enterprises, and to proceed with labor-saving measures, the industry must continue to secure a given workforce. Again, transport services are indispensable to industry and national life. Because of this, if such services become unstable due to severe labor shortages, it will pose a grave threat to Japan's economy and society. Given this, greater efforts must be made to secure systematically young workers, utilize elderly workers and introduce more female workers as well as promote the improvement of working conditions.
　 　With respect to foreign workers, many more have been employed in the aviation industry, while in the ocean-going shipping industry, labor-management accord has recently been reached on mixed manning in shipping with Japanese seamen and their foreign counterparts, who are not in the category of foreign workers allowed into Japan, under a formula of chartering out Japanese vessels to foreign operators. With regard to the problem of accepting so-called unskilled foreign labor, it will be addressed prudently in consideration of the impact it may have on Japan's economic society.

　

4.　Evolution of Information-Systematization and Transport Industry

　 　The transport industry is now steadily becoming information-equipped (Fig. 6), contributing largely to the greater efficiency of business management, the greater safety of transportation, and the greater convenience of users. In recent years, there have been moves among transportation companies to utilize information-systematization as a corporate strategy, so to speak, in differentiating themselves from rivals and bolstering their competitiveness. Similarly, there have been widespread moves among transportation enterprises to group themselves or form affiliates by expanding their own information networks. In this way, approaches how to tackle with information-systematization have exerted a great impact on corporate management.
Formation of information networks is now a current of the times both inside and outside Japan. However, in order to forge ahead efficiently and smoothly with the formation of information networks between enterprises, moves toward the standardization of communication protocols for linking different types of computers, and so-called business protocols such as formats and codes are in progress.
In the transport industry, on the other hand, there are moves to expand into the communications field through the utilization of knowhow amassed in coping with information-systematization, and also into new fields to undertake CATV and VAN services. As part of such moves, the T (Tokyo; Transportation) Network Plan"has been proposed with a view to organizing a wide-area information network in the National Capital Region, using transportation-related facilities, and much is expected of the realization of the Plan.

　

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