CHAPTER 11. IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSPORTATION SAFETY MEASURES
Section 1. Implementation of transportation safety measures
The Ministry of Transport has been annually drawing up plans to ensure
the safety of transportation systems administering a fundamental policy of transport
administration, and implementing the plan for all sectors of land, air and ocean
transportation.
Nevertheless, road traffic accidents are still too frequent, and the annual
number of fatalities has exceeded 11,000 annually for the past four years. This
is even said to be the age of the "second traffic war".
Under the circumstances, the Ministry of Transport is implementing measures
to prevent accidents and to aid victims.
Particularly for road traffic, safety standards for automobiles were raised
in April 1993, and the Ministry is going to implement necessary measures as
early as possible in accordance with the report provided by the Council for
Transport Technology, released in June 1993.
For railway transport, measures have been implemented in such areas as improvement
of facilities for safe operation, to assure the safety of rolling stock and
also to execute through control of pertinent operation.
In the maritime sector, the Ministry is improving the maritime transport
environment and striving to assure the safe navigation of ships.
Regarding air transport, measures have been implemented to assure safety
in aviation.
Section 2. Implementation of measures to prevent disasters
As appointed administrative institutions, the Ministry of Transport, the Maritime
Safety Agency and the Meteorological Agency instituted work programs to prevent
disasters and programs to reinforce observation and information systems such as
disaster forecasts and warnings, to prevent transport disasters, to protect national
land through seashore construction programs, and to restore port facilities damaged
by disasters.
Due to the earthquake in the southwestern part of offshore Hokkaido in July
1993 and disasters caused by heavy rainfall in August 1993, the Ministry implemented
urgent relief to victims and provided transportation to disaster stricken areas.
It also assisted in quickly restoring destroyed facilities.
The Ministry is taking necessary actions such as securing transportation and
reinforcing observation systems of the damage caused by the volcanic eruption
of Mount Unzen Fugendake, a situation which continues to be dangerous.
Section 3. Promotion of technology development
In June 1991, the Council for Transport Technology submitted report no.16,
entitled "Policy on Transport Technology Aiming at the 21st Century," indicating
the direction of development of various technologies. The Ministry of Transport
is to implement measures to develop transport technologies in accordance with
the report.
Section 4. Accelerated application of information systems
To improve convenience for users and efficiency of operation by companies
engaging in business related to transportation, various measures will be implemented
in order to accelerate application of information systems to the transport sector
by promoting application of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) systems, to extend
introduction of a common admission card system and to provide a tourism information
system utilizing personal computers for communication, etc.
