A railway station is often a transport hub of the town, where passengers transfer between different modes of transport: railways, trams, buses, taxis and bicycles. Improving the smoothness of transfer by rebuilding facilities is desirable for users but not easy because many parties are involved: local governments, railway companies, bus and other transport operators.
In order to facilitate the process of coordination, the following systems are in place:
1) Public financial support systems have been reorganized into a new subsidy, which allows municipal governments more flexibility in exercising local initiatives.
2) Guidelines for railway station corridors construction 2009 define roles and responsibilities, in particular cost sharing, of stakeholders in constructing or reforming railway station corridors, which provide free passage between two sides of the station. The guidelines encourage cooperation between municipal governments and railway companies.
Under the new scheme, development projects including improving station squares, access roads and pedestrian spaces are being planned and implemented in the areas around transport hubs. Takaoka station is an example of ongoing projects.
Kokura station and Gifu station are examples of completed.

At Kokura station, the number of passengers of public transportation increased on the following year when the monorail was extended to the building of the railway station as well as the pedestrian deck.

Transport Hub, Station Square, Access Road, Pedestrian Space, Seamless Transfer

Road Bureau, MLIT Japan