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The reduction of exhaust fumes emitted by motor vehicles and measures
to prepare for the rapid growth of aged population are serious tasks Japan has
to challenge urgently.
This fiscal year the Ministry of Transport instituted a system to provide
subsidies for introducing buses with a lift to help aged and handicapped people
to embark and disembark more easily. The Ministry also took measures to expand
the areas applicable to the subsidy for introducing low-emission vehicles up
to the private-car-controlling areas in natural parks, which had been limited
before to the specified areas under the Automobile NOx Law.
Under the latest subsidiary system, eleven buses with a lift went into service
in 1995. In Kamikochi (a popular mountain resort), four "hybrid buses" began
service, which are low-pollution vehicles that generate by recovering the heat
energy produced by the brakes. Two types of buses were put into service on the
Mt. Fujihighway. The CNG bus uses compressed natural gas as fuel. The Ministry
plans to continue work for more "environment-friendly, user-friendly buses"
- that will help preserve the natural environment and be favored by people to
serve across Japan. We will see more "environment-friendly, user-friendly buses"
- which are favorable to the environment and the aged in the future. (picture)
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