Transportation to/from a remote island has been financially supported by the government as a critical service to the residents on the island. The present subsidy system, reorganized as a part of the Project to secure, maintain, and improve local public transportations, in 2011, gives comprehensive and continuous supports:
a) subsidies for remote island transportation are supplied to compensate a half of the operational loss of each sea and aerial routes;
b) subsidies are granted for the replacement or construction of a ship used for the service,
c) stakeholders, including operators, local governments and users are required to establish a council and the council should decide a Regional Transport Network Program, in which the remote islands service needs to be described.
The government has other programs, subsidies for purchasing aircrafts and installing Satellite Based Augmentation System for remote island air routes.

Before 2011, various subsidy systems for local public transportation were managed in parallel. 2011 reform has consolidated these subsidy systems into a single and comprehensive system.

Local Public Transportation, operational loss of a remote island routes, subsidy,

Transport Planning Division, Public Transport Policy Department, Policy Bureau, MLIT Japan International Planning and Coordination Office, General Affairs Division, Maritime Bureau, MLIT Japan International Policy Planning Office, Aviation Strategy Division, Civil Aviation Bureau, MLIT Japan