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At present, a wide variety of environmental countermeasures are being
carried out from the standpoint that approaching the conservation of the environment
is indispensable to the sound development of transport.
Again, of the traffic hazards stemming from the operation of traffic facilities,
more rigid steps to control exhaust fumes, notably nitrogen oxide emitted by
motor vehicles, are now being promoted. In addition, the improvement of public
transport facilities is now being promoted on a comprehensive basis through
the introduction of low-pollution motor vehicles, including methanol-driven
cars, promoting replacement of existing cars with those adapted to the latest
regulation requirements, switching from privately owned cars to commercial cars
in transport operations, the rationalization of physical distribution, the furtherance
of modal shifts, etc.
Furthermore, noise prevention measures have been taken with regard to motor
vehicles, Shinkansen trains, aircraft and other forms of public hazards in areas
surrounding the sources of environmental pollution.
With respect to the prevention of sea pollution, the Ministry of Transport
has taken appropriate steps to cope with international trends toward the reinforcement
of controls on various gas emissions from shipping. At the same time, the ministry
is currently promoting overall countermeasures, including stepped-up surveillance
and control on ships responsible for sea pollution, and the purification of
contaminated sea areas. As regards organic tin compounds, including TBT, which
are used in ship bottom paints, the ministry has extended guidance to the industrial
circles concerned from the standpoint of making greater efforts to improve the
sea pollution situation.
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