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In response to the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, the Global
Warming Prevention Headquarters was set up in the government. The Ministry of
Transport also set up the Global Warming Prevention Headquarters in January
1998, and the government headquarters decided on the Guideline of Measures to
Prevent Global Warming in June 1998.
In October 1998, the Law concerning the Promotion of Measures to Cope with
Global Warming was enacted to spell out central and local governments' preparation
and publication of programs for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and obligations
of businesses and people to prevent global warming.
In order to achieve the 6% reduction target in greenhouse gas emissions
as provided in the Kyoto Protocol, the Ministry of Transport plans to try to
lower the estimated 40% increase of carbon dioxide emissions to a 17% rise in
the transport sector. To this end, the following measures must be implemented
for the transport sector to cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by about 13
MtC until 2010.
Auto manufacturers and others are developing and diffusing
low-emission vehicles and improving the fuel efficiency of conventional-type
vehicles. There are four types of low-emission vehicles in practical use at
present, that is, methanol-fueled, hybrid, CNG (compressed natural gas) and
electric vehicles. Although these vehicles have been introduced for part of
collection and delivery trucks and buses on regular route, they have had problems
including shortages of special refueling or recharging facilities, constraints
on power performances and driving ranges, and high costs. The government has
provided subsidies, tax breaks and other assistance for purchases of these vehicles
to diffuse them. Of the high fuel efficiency vehicles, the hybrid cars do not
require any special refueling facilities. Therefore, hybrid cars may be the
most practical for massive diffusion. Hybrid cars are worthy of attention as
one passenger cars for volume sale came onto the market in late 1997 (Figure
11).
As for the improvement of fuel efficiency for gasoline and diesel vehicles,
based on the revised Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy (Energy-Saving
Law), strengthened fuel efficiency regulations will be enforced in April 1999
by introducing the "top runner approach" under which the fuel efficiency standard
will be higher than the best existing level. These new regulations set fuel
efficiency improvement targets for FY 2010 (the improvement of 15% to over 20%
from the FY 1995 levels).
In order to promote a shift to fuel-efficient vehicles, the government should
review every possible measure including automobile-related taxation. In September
1998, the Ministry of Transport asked the Council for Transport Policy to work
out recommendations for the further promotion and diffusion of fuel-efficient
vehicles and to give the recommendations by the end of FY 1998.
As for other transport machines than automobiles, improvements of control
systems and power performances and reducing weights have been made for rolling
stock, ships and aircraft.
The construction of a transportation system reducing the
burden on the global environment requires that the demand for private cars be
shifted to mass transportation services (Figure
12).
In efforts to promote use of railway transportation, the Ministry of Transport
is improving the convenience of railway service. The Ministry is undertaking
the improvement of shinkansen and trunk railways (including the completion of
the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train line (Takasaki-Nagano), the starting on
construction of three new bullet train lines and the improvement of speed on
the Kotoku Line), improvement of urban railways and their transportation capacity,
and other hardware development measures. It is also taking software measures
such as the promotion of reciprocal access (direct train services between Haneda
and Narita Airports).
Bus services are the most realistic means to attract those people dependent
on their own cars. In the face of chronic urban transportation problems, there
are strong calls to revitalize bus services. Based on considerations made at
the Bus Service Revitalization Committee since 1992, the Ministry is undertaking
the promotion of new urban bus systems (including the designation of exclusive
and priority lanes for buses and introduction of bus location systems). Since
1997, the Ministry has promoted the omnibus town scheme to support the creation
of towns giving priority to bus transportation systems. It has also promoted
the development and improvement of express bus networks.
Some ideas have emerged with regard to promoting public transportation.
In 1998, Kanagawa Chuo Kotsu Co., introduced an eco-pass system under which
commutation ticket holders are given Special services for their family members
on holidays. Buses for the first-ride fare of \100 and allowing bicycles into
railway cars have also been considered or tested (Table
13).
The aim for long-distance freight (general cargo) transportation
is to raise the percentage of transport by rail and coastal shipping to approximately
50% by 2010 from the present level of about 40%. This will be achieved by various
measures aimed at achieving a modal shift. They include increasing the capacity
of railway transportation (e.g. through the introduction of freight transport
on the Keiyo and Musashino Lines), improving coastal container ships and roll-on/roll-off
(RO-RO) vessels, and constructing additional domestic freight terminals equipped
to meet intermodal transportation. The construction is designed to raise the
percentage of Japan's population put within a half-day ground round-trip range
from a terminal to 90% by the beginning of the 2lst century. Another measure
is to construct priority container terminals at international hub ports to reduce
domestic ground transport of freight containers for international shipping (Figure
14).
In truck transportation, the Ministry is aiming to raise the load factor
for trucks as a whole to some 50% by the beginning of the 2lst century. To this
end, it is promoting the joint collection and distribution of cargo and joint
trunk services, as well as relaxation of regulations on gross vehicle weights
and larger trucks or a shift to trailers, in pursuit of efficient trucking (Table
15 and Table 16).
From the viewpoint of preventing global warming, we must
reduce carbon dioxide emissions by eliminating road traffic congestion and facilitating
road traffic (Figure 17).
In transportation demand management (TDM) dealing with demand for road transportation,
we initiated model projects for supporting comprehensive anti-congestion measures
in 1994. Specific projects now under way include park-and-ride systems, companies'
commutation shuttle bus services, and the introduction of staggered commutation
hours and flexible working hours in 13 cities including Sapporo and Kitakyushu.
As for the intelligent transportation system (ITS) to integrate people, vehicles
and roads with sophisticated information and communication technologies into
a comprehensive system to facilitate road traffic, five relevant government
Ministries and Agencies including the Ministry of Transport worked out a comprehensive
scheme for ITS promotion in 1996. Building on the scheme, the Ministry of Transport
is tackling the development of advanced safety vehicles(Table).
In order to reduce unnecessary carbon dioxide emissions, individual people
should become aware of the importance of eco-driving practices including the
elimination of unnecessary idling during parking and staying, and driving at
the appropriate speeds. The Ministry of Transport has established a council
of eco-drive promotion with relevant organizations to diffuse and encourage
such driving practices (Table 18).
Japan and other developed countries must extend technical and financial assistance to control carbon dioxide emissions in developing countries with rapid industrialization. In this respect, the Ministry of Transport is promoting international cooperation in various areas including a feasibility study to design carbon dioxide observation networks in East Asia, a region that has thus far lacked carbon dioxide observation stations (Figure 19).
Japan Meteorological Agency plays a globally important role
in observing and monitoring of greenhouse gas concentrations. It has established
a World Data Center for Greenhouse Gases of the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) that collects and manages observation data from around the world and creates
a database available to the world under a project of WMO.
The Maritime Safety Agency as well has undertaken observation and surveys
to contribute to studies on the relationship between the oceans and global warming,
participating in the Western Pacific Experiment survey sponsored by the Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.
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