Creating a safe and environmentallyfriendly transportation system
for Automobile and Land Transport Technology(NALTEC).Afterthe integration, the NTSEL contributes to the development of
national policies in an integrated manner, building on thestrengths of the two organizations and addressing all aspects ofissues relating to motor vehicles from the design stage to thein-use stage. It also actively conducts tests and research, as wellas makes suggestions, as a central core in studies to help thegovernment develop land transpor t-related regulations orstandards, while p roviding te chnolo gic al suppor t to thegovernment’s international standardization activities basedon fair and impartial data and findings.

Since its establishment in 1950 as a laboratory under the former
Ministry of Transport, the National Traffic Safety and Environment
Laboratory (NTSEL) has been working to help create a safe andenvironmentally friendly transport system through tests and studies
supporting the government’s policymaking and standardization
efforts for motor vehicles and other means of land transportation,
automobile type approval tests, technical validation for motor
vehicle recalls, etc.
On April 1, 2016, NTSEL was integrated with the former National
Agency of Vehicle Inspection(NAVI) to start afresh as the National
Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory of the National Agency

Positioning of our organization in Terms of the National Goals and Policies
NationalGoals– Reduce the number of fatalities andinjuries in traffic accidents– Fully achieve environmental regulation
targets for air pollution,of which motor vehicies
are one of the main causes– Reduce carbon dioxide emissions from transportation– Improve the safety and benefits of the public transportation
system– Assist sustainable growth of the Japanese economy

National policies
Comprehensive initiatives Relating to Motor Vehicles
DesignDevelop safety
and evironmentrelated
regulation drafts

New vehicles
Prevent the distributionof vehicles that do notconform to regurations
through type approval

In useConfirm andstudy the detailsof vehicle
registration

Ensure compliancewith regulations
through inspectionsof vehicles in use

Initiatives to ensureinternational
cooperation

Initiatives related toregionaltransportation

Promote international
standardization andsupport overseas
deplayment

Ensure safe and stabletransportation on
railways,etc, promote
the introduction of newsystems, and revitalize
regional transportation

Eliminate vehicles
that do not complywith regulations
through recalls

NALTEC
Inspection devisions andregional offices nationwide

NTSEL

Organization and Operations of NALTEC< Organization >President

AuditorNational Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory
Chofu City, Tokyo
Planning
Department

Administration
Department< Practice >Main Branch
OfficeInspection
Department

Vehicle Inspection

Automotive
Safety Research
Department

Environmental
Research
Department

Director forInternational
Harmonization
Promotion

Traffic SystemResearch
Department

Director for
Autonomous
Driving Research

Director for
Information andCommunication
Technology Research

Research Work and International
Expansion Support

Automotive TypeApproval Test
Department

Railway
Certification
CenterAutomobile
Recall Technical
Verification
Department

TypeApproval Test
Recall WorkThe Role of National Traffic Safet
Research on environmental issues
From the viewpoint of solving various environmental issues and implementing sophisticated and complex technologies of vehicles intosocial transport systems smoothly, we are conducting research to improve testing methods and formulate regulations, thereby contributing
to the prevention of pollution.
From the viewpoint of analyzing issues and proposing measures related to the prevention of global warming, reduction of environmental
impact, promotion of energy conservation, diversification of energy sources, etc., we are conducting research that contributes toenvironmentally friendly transportation systems and reduction of environmental impact, such as the sophistication of fuel efficiency
regulations,as well as the sophistication of methods for evaluating hazardous substance emissions; and noise.

Environmental performance evaluation under low-temperature environment

Emission performance comparisonof biodiesel fuelMeasurement of vehicle noise on
public roads

Verification of battery performance

Portable emissions measurement
systems (PEMS)

Study automotive safety issues
We are researching test methods for evaluating theperformance of various active safety technologies
such as automated driving systems. Our research
includes evaluating the actual effect of preventing
pedestrian accidents by clarifying the operating
conditions of an advanced emergency braking
system with pedestrian detection.
We are also investigating driver behavior during
automated driving and methods for assisting elderly
drivers through various experiments on a test
course and a driving simulator.
By analyzing traffic accident statistics, we classify
types of traffic accidents that occur most frequently
and explore measures to prevent them. In particular,
we study methods for testing occupant protection
in collisions between vehicles with large weight
differences, such as between a heavy-duty truck
and a kei car, which tend to cause serious injuries.
We also study methods that help mitigate injury tochildren and elderly occupants, pedestrians, andcyclists upon collision.
The research results are reported to international
conferences at the United Nations and used tohelp develop international regulations.

Driving simulator (cockpit)Experiment of advanced emergency
braking system

Driving simulator (exterior)

Collision experiment between a passenger
vehicle and a cyclist

ty and Environment Laboratory
Study transportation systems
To help ensure safe, secure, and stable operations for transportation systems
such as railway and LRT (Light Rail Transit), the Department clarifies the causes ofaccidents, studies low cost and safer accident preventive measures, and conducts
technical assessments of new systems and rolling stock, while promoting the useof public transportation, thus contributing to solving environmental issues.
Fur thermore, works on general safety and environmental issues of landtranspor tation, such as sustainable maintenance and revitalization of local
transportation, safe and secure mobility of senior citizens and vulnerable road
users, and technological coordination between motor vehicles and railways.

Test for sharing stops between trams and buses

Train operation safety evaluation simulator (driver’s cab)

Bogie truck test plant

Work on railway certification
In 2012, the Railway Certification Center was accredited as the first Japanesecertification body in railway sector for conformity with international standards.
The international standards with which the Department certifies the conformity
are currently IEC 62278 (RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability andSafety)), IEC 62425 (Safety Case), IEC 62279 (Sof tware) and IEC 62280(Communication).
Through the certification activities based on ISO/IEC 17065 for conformity
assessment, the Department contributes to international deployment of railway
products and technologies.

Conformity Assessment【Accreditation by IAJapan】
The Railway Certification Center is a product certification bodyaccredited by International Accreditation Japan (IAJapan),National Institute of Technology and Evaluation, an Independent
Administrative Institution.

Work on International harmonization of motor vehicle regulations
Efforts to internationally harmonize automobile technical regulations have been made by World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle
Regulations (WP.29) within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE). Japan has been actively working on thedevelopment and amendment of UN regulations and UN global technical regulations under the international agreements sponsored byUN-ECE/WP.29.
To support the Japanese government’s efforts, experts of NTSEL participate in a variety of meetings organized under UN-ECE/WP.29
and actively proposes regulations and test procedures making best use of the results of its studies and type approval tests, and basedon Japanese advanced automobile technology, thus contributing to promoting Japanese automobile technologies as part of international
regulations.

the United Nations
the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe
World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations

GRSG
GeneralSafetyProvisions

GRVA
GRSP
Passive
SafetyUnited Nations office in Geneva

Automated/AutonomousandConnected
Vehicles

GRPE
PollutionandEnergy

GRBP
Noiseand Tyres

GRELighting andLightSignalling

Work on automated driving research
Automated driving technology is expected to not onlyimprove safety but also help solve transportation
problems in society, such as by reducing environmental
impact and resolving labor shortages.
Our laboratory, which has expertise in both motor
vehicles and railways, is working on various research
projects for the utilization and spread of automateddriving technology matching the characteristics ofeach means of transport.

Evaluation experiments on automated vehicles’
environment recognition performance in the rain

A train validating automated train operation
technology

Work on ICT studies
With the recent development of information andtelecommunications technologies, vehicle systems
have become highly digitalized. As such vehicles
are spreading and the use of such functions isprogressing, cybersecurit y of vehicles has
be come a critical is sue. We conduc t broadresearch on a range of such cyber issues, from theaspects of both safety and the environment.
Vehicle communication testing

Work on automobile type approval tests
The department is the only organization in Japan that certifies new vehicles’ compliance withregulations under the Automobile Type Approval System.
Through the implementation of thorough type approval test, the department prevents theproduction and circulation of non-compliant vehicles, ensures public safety and security,and contributes to environmental preservation.
By improving its technological capabilities, the department actively responds to increasingly
sophisticated and complex automotive technologies as well as to new international frameworks
surrounding motor vehicles.

Collision test

Fuel consumption / exhaust gas
measurement test (WLTC mode testing)Type Designation System
Vehiclemanufacturer

Principal tests

Vehiclemanufacturer

Automobile Type Approval
Test Department
Conformity examination of safety
and environment standards
Vehicles & equipments test

Collision test

Exhaust emission test

Lighting system test

Cybersecurity audit

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Motor Vehicle Type Designation

Headlamp

Document reviews

Review Results Notification

Child restraintsystems

Review Request Submission

Equipment
manufacturer

Vehicle type approval application

Automobiles

User
Equipment
manufacturer

Brakes device test

Work on recall-related technical verification
The Automobile Recall Technical Verification
Department conducts technical verifications
to check whether automobiles have any
non-compliance with safety regulations due
to design and manufacturing, and if a recall
has already been carried out, whether therecall is appropriate. Thus, we contribute to
the prompt and reliable implementation ofrecalls in order to ensure greater safety andsecurity for automobile users.
Further, to respond to sophisticated andcomplex vehicle technologies as well as
those defects , the Department develops its
technical capabilities, coordinates withother organizations at home and abroad,and enhances its operations.

Portable Emissions Measurement System for Surveillance Work

Vehicle fire investigation
Automobile Recall TechnicalVerification Department

Fire Department

PoliceManufacturer/Dealer
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport
and Tourism/Transport Bureau/
Transport Branch

Fundamental experiment on vehicle fire when the electrical equipment ofa passenger car is energizedFire verification experiments

Main Facilities
Main Office and Facilities(Chofu City,Tokyo) / Total Land Area : 22,000 m2
1st Engine Test Building
Vibration Intensity
Test Building

2nd Engine Test Building
Lighting andElectromagnetic
Wave Test Building

Low Emission Vehicle
Test Building

Traffic System
Safety Research
Building

Braking Performance
Test Building

1st and 2ndTest Buildings
Acoustic
Test Building

5thTest Building

Anechoic
Reverberation
Test Building

CommonTest Building

Administration
Building

Dilution Tunnel

187m

188m

Motion Performance
Test Building

Large-Sized Motor Vehicle
Exhaust Research Building

Low-Visibility Test Building

HMI Test Building

6thTest Building

Railway Bogie Test Building

Exhaust Emission Test BuildingThird Test Building

History
April 1950

The Transportation Technical Research Institute was established as a general technical research organization ofthe Ministry of Transport.

April 1963

The Transportation Technical Research Institute was reorganized as the Ship Research Institute.

July 1970

Traffic Safety and Nuisance Research Institute was established by way of separation from the Ship Research Institute.

January 2001

Due to realignment of central government agencies, the Traffic Safety and Nuisance Research Institute was placed under
the control of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

April 2001

Inaugurated as the National Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory(NTSEL), an Independent Administrative Institute.

April 2016

NTSEL was integrated with NAVI, and NALTEC(National Agency for Automobile and Land Transport Technology) wasestablished.

Transportation Guide
To Tachikawa

JR Chuo Line

MitakaBus Station

To Shinjuku

Kichijoji

Bus StationHachiman Shrine

hirak asInoInokashiraParkeLin●GSPolice Box

NomuraHospital
Mitaka Daiichi
Junior High SchoolFireGS●
StationMitaka Nokyo-mae●MitakaJA
PostCity Hall
officeKaijo Gijutsu Anzen
Kenkyujo-mae

Police Office●JAXATohachi roadTo Kugayarma

To Fuchu■From the Park Exit of JR Kichijoji Station, take the Odakyu bus orKeio bus.
No.3 boarding area, bound for Musashisakai Station South Exit
No.4 boarding area, bound for Chofu Station North Exit
No.8 boarding area, bound for Chofu Station North Exit

National Institute of Maritime,
Port and Aviation Technology.

Chuo Expressway■From North Exit of Keio Line Chofu Station, take the Odakyu busor Keio bus.
No.11 boarding area, bound for Kichijoji Station or Mitaka Station
No.12 boarding area, bound for Kichijoji Station.

Kyorin UniversityHospital

To Takaido

To Sengawa

To Kyuden

The University ofElectro-Communications

To Fuchu

42– 27, Jindaiji – higashimachi 7– chome, Chofu, Tokyo 182 – 0012, Japan
Tel : + 81– 422 – 41-3207 Fax : + 81– 422 – 41– 3233

■From the South Exit of JR Mitaka Station, take the Odakyu bus orKeio bus.
No.3 boarding area, bound for Chofu Station North Exit
No.7 boarding area, bound for Sengawa or Koka Gakuen Higashi
No.8 boarding area, bound for Nogaya

Maingate

Mitaka Street

Musashisakai Street

Choufu-kita
High School

Jindai
Botanical Park

◆Chofu Head Laboratory【 Public Transportation 】

Taisei High School

To Fuchu

Access Map for National Traffic Safety andEnvironment Laboratory

Koshu Kaido (Route20)

To Shinjuku

Keio LineTo Shinjuku

Bus Station
Chofu

Get off at the 'Mitaka Nokyo Mae' bus stop, and walk about 300m
southward to the front gate

To Hashimoto

To Ohta

RouteKumagaya joshiHigh School

140

To Fukaya●Golf Driving
rangeRoute 140B ypassKagohara
Jieitai(Self-Defense Force).
●Kumagaya Inspection Site,Saitama Landrain
Transport Branch officeet tBull●uts
Joe

Kumagaya Seikyo(Co-op) Hospital

Higashi JuniorHigh SchoolKumagaya
Police Station
Route 17
Takasaki LineTo Takasaki◆Automobile Proving Ground

BypassRoute 17

Kumagaya

R iverawa
Arak
Pr
Foreefectu
st P ral R
ark oute
Hiro 38
se L 5 M
ine usas
hik yur yo

1–1, Miizugahara, Kumagaya, Saitama 360 – 0844, Japan
Tel : + 81– 48– 533 – 6811 Fax : + 81– 48 – 533 –5534【 Access by car (No public transportation available.) 】■ About 4km from Kagohara Station of JR Takasaki Line
■ About 8km from Hanazono Interchange of Kan-Etsu Expressway
About 4km from Jieitai (Self-Defense Force) Entrance Intersection on
National Route 17◆2nd Automobile Proving Ground2959 – 22, Kamino, Kumagaya, Saitama 360 – 0012, Japan
Tel : + 81– 48 – 527 – 7157 Fax : + 81– 48 – 527– 7159

【 Access by car (No public transportation available.) 】
To Maebashi

To Nerima■ About 3km from Kumagaya Station of JR Takasaki Line

Kan-Etsu National Expressway
Hanazono I.C

National Agency forAutomobile and Land Transport TechnologyHead Office
Sumitomo Seimei Yotsuya Bldg, 4 – 41, Yotsuyahonshio – cho,Shinjuku – ku, Tokyo , Japan 160 – 0003
Te l : + 81 – 3 – 5363 – 3441 Fax : + 81 – 3 – 5363 – 3347
https://www.naltec.go.jp/english/

National Traffic Safety andEnvironment Laboratory
7 – 42 – 27 Jindaiji Higashimachi, Chofu City,Tokyo , Japan 182 – 0012
Tel : + 81– 422– 41– 3207 Fax : + 81– 422– 41– 3233
https://www.ntsel.go.jp/e/