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Domestic passenger transport volume in fiscal 1988 (on a passenger-kilometer
basis) registered a substantial increase of 7.3 percent over the previous fiscal
year. Passenger transport in fiscal 1988 was characterized by a continued sharp
increase in the number of railway passengers, the excellent performance of JR
companies following the privatization of the Japanese National Railways, a sharp
rise in the use of privately-owned cars for transport, and some measure of deceleration
in the growth of air transport. Again, it must be noted that transport systems
were partly affected, albeit temporarily, by the demise of Emperor Showa.
Increased consumption and a rise in domestic demand can be thought to be
the endorsement of the favorable passenger transport situation (Table
15).
Domestic cargo transport volume in fiscal 1988 (on a ton-kilometer basis)
was up 7.6 percent from the previous fiscal year, surpassing the growth rate
(5.3 percent) of GNP in real terms. A sharp increase in cargo transport volume
of each transport sector was a characteristic of cargo transport in fiscal 1988.
In particular, the volume of railway cargo transport (in terms of tonnage) increased
for the first time in nine years, by reversing the long-protracted downward
trend since the second oil shock, thanks in part to the opening of the Seikan
Tunnel and the Seto-Ohashi Bridge. The share of cargo transport (on a ton-kilometer
basis) in fiscal 1988 also rose 4.8 percent, or 0.3 percentage points, as compared
with the preceding financial year.
The remarkable growth in the volume of railway cargo transport was brought
about in parallel with increases in cargo transport by other modes of transport,
as a result of the rising demand for construction-related materials triggered
off by private sector equipment investment and investment in private housing
which gained impetus in part because of additional public investment of 5 trillion
made in accordance with emergency economic countermeasures implemented in fiscal
1987, and induced effects (Table
16).
A look at international travel trends surrounding Japan shows that the
number of Japanese going abroad in 1988 (calendar year) was up 23.4 percent
from the previous year (23.8 percent) owing to the appreciation of the yen,
and surpassed the 8,000,000 level for the first time ever and reached 8,430,000,
hitting an all-time hight for seven years in a row.
The number of foreigners coming to Japan in 1988 stood at 2,360,000, up 9,3
percent from the previous year, hitting a new record high by exceeding the previous
of 2,330, 000 set in 1985 (Fig. 19).
A look at international cargo transport surrounding Japan (in terms of tonnage)
shows that exports by sea in 1988 (calender year) were down 0.7 percent from
the previous year, marking decreases for four straight years, but that the margin
of decreases was small thanks to machinery and cement exports running at a relatively
high level. Conversely, imports registered a high growth rate of 9.4 percent,
increasing for two consecutive years, as a result of increases in imports of
dry cargo such as iron ore and coal (Fig.
20). Exports and imports by air in fiscal 1988 increased 9.5 percent and
25.2 percent, respectively, although their growth rates slackened as compared
with the preceding financial year (Fig.
21).
The opening of the Seikan Tunnel dramatically increased the volume of railway passenger traffic between Honshu and Hokkaido. Similarly, the volume of railway cargo traffic increased smoothly. Particularly notable was the growth of JR container traffic (Table 17).
The traffic volume of automobiles following the opening of the Seto-Ohashi Bridge was smaller than had been originally estimated, whereas JR passenger and JR cargo traffic volumes recorded substantial increases. The opening of the bridge across the Inland Sea seriously affected local ferry and passenger boat services (Table 18).
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