Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
Safety.” The aim of the amendment was to establish systems of safety management within railway companies, including systems that deal with the fitness and suitability of train operators. In addition, MLIT convened an expert committee to look into the question of train operator suitability. This group, called the Committee to Evaluate Measures to Enhance Train Operator Fitness and Suitability, is examining ways of improving the education of train operators and of enhancing the work place environment.

MLIT also ordered JR West to formulate a Safety Improvement Plan that proposes radical measures aimed at preventing a reoccurrence of such accidents. Through audits of JR West’s headquarters and branch offices, the ministry has been monitoring the company’s efforts to implement the plan’s proposals. On November 15, MLIT notified the company to continue working steadily on the plan. It is continuing to audit the company’s performance and to issue guidance as necessary.
Focus

# Expediting Measures to Eliminate Grade-Level Crossings

Despite being in a long-term decline, accidents at rail crossings in Japan remain a problem. One such accident occurred on March 15, 2005, at a “rail crossing that does not open” near Takenotsuka Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line. Four people were injured, two

fatally. Rail crossing accidents account for roughly half of all railway operations accidents, and many crossings still exist that require improvements.

There are approximately 36,000 grade-level train crossings in Japan, of which roughly 600 fall under the classification of “crossings that do not open.” This characterization refers to crossings where, during peak traffic hours, barriers remain down for over 40 minutes in a given one-hour period. Of these, 95% is concentrated within the metropolitan areas of Japan’s three largest cities, Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

* The three major metropolitan areas encompass the Tokyo Metropolitan Area and the following prefectures: Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa; Aichi, Mie, Gifu, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, and Hyogo

* Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 2004

MLIT has endeavored to replace

grade-level crossings with overpasses or underpasses, and to carry out other structural improvements and to install new safety equipment. But to expedite work at sites where the need for improvement has reached a critical point, MLIT will adopt the following measures. By taking these and other steps to improve the safety and flow of traffic through level crossings, MLIT is aiming to reduce accidents at rail crossings in 2010 by 10% compared to 2005.

## Measures to expedite improvements at grade-level crossings

(1) Comprehensive review of traffic at railway crossings

MLIT will conduct a comprehensive survey of conditions at all of the 36,000 rail crossings across the country. It carried out emergency evaluations at approximately 2,600 sites where the problems were deemed to be serious.

{Major items of evaluation}

- Structure etc. of the grade-level crossings (width of road across tracks, width of pedestrian walkways across tracks, shape of track at crossing, etc.)

- Traffic conditions (length of lines of cars waiting at crossings, the number of cars waiting in these lines, etc.)
(2) Establishing list of crossings requiring emergency improvements and formulating a 5-year improvement plan

Based on the results of the comprehensive survey, MLIT will determine which crossings fall under the category of “crossings that do not open” or “crossings with extremely narrow walking space” and require emergency renovations. MLIT will announce this list to the public. For crossings that require emergency action, MLIT will formulate 5-year improvement plans that take into consideration local needs.

## (3) Emergency measures based on 5-year plans

In accordance with these 5-year plans, MLIT will take a comprehensive approach that encompasses both “measures that make immediate impacts,” such as widening of pedestrian walkways, and “radical measures,” such as continuous overpass and underpass projects. These projects will be carried out on an emergency basis within narrow spans of time.

• Walkway widening and other immediate impact measures will be implemented at approximately 1,300 sites over the next five years

- Continuous grade separation and underpass construction at approximately 1,400 sites will be completed in roughly one half originally scheduled times

Outline of policy flow
Focus

## Comprehensive Safety Measures for Public Transportation

In recent days, public transportation has suffered a series of major accidents and safety-related setbacks, including the derailment accident on the JR West Fukuchiyama Line in April 2005 and problems in the airline industry caused by human error and by parts and mechanical malfunctioning. Many are pointing their fingers at a background of human errors, such as an inadequate commitment among senior managers to safety first, insufficient communication and information sharing between management and operational personnel, and between different divisions. Eliminating these problems and restoring the public’s trust in public transportation has become an urgent issue.

Consequently, in June 2005, MLIT established the Committee to Evaluate Measures for the Prevention of Accidents Caused by Human Error in Public Transportation (chairperson: Administrative Vice-Minister, MLIT). This committee accepted testimony from outside experts and reviewed examples of efforts by industry to come up with comprehensive and effective measures against human error in public transportation systems.

In addition to implementing sector-specific safety measures for automobiles, railways, marine vessels and airlines, MLIT is implementing the following measures that cut across industry lines.

(1) Building safety management capabilities; sustaining safety management efforts

MLIT is seeking to ensure transportation safety in land, maritime and air systems by imbuing the organizations of carriers and other providers with a sense of the importance of safety, and by helping to create corporate cultures that understand and effectively implement transportation safety measures. MLIT has mandated that all companies involved in the respective areas of transportation (automobiles, railways, marine vessels and airlines) prepare safety management regulations that detail operational policies relating to transportation safety. MLIT has required that these regulations also describe organizational arrangements and methods of communication on safety-related issues in each division, stipulate the implementation of internal audits, and provide for the continual review and improvement of operational practices. MLIT has also made it obligatory for each company to appoint a manager responsible for administering and controlling safety. MLIT is also encouraging companies to take the initiative to review and improve operational practices in order to ensure top leadership’s involvement in assuring the safety of transportation. In this way, MLIT will foster the creation of safety management systems that involve everyone from top management to operational personnel working as a team. In addition, MLIT will introduce a Management Safety Evaluation System by which the national government monitors top management’s involvement in safety management.

To carry out the above measures, MLIT drafted legislation to amend certain parts of
existing law. This legislation resulted in the “Law to Amend the Railway Business Law to Enhance Transportation Safety,” which was passed in the 164 $ ^{th} $ session of the Diet (law no. 19, 2006) and later promulgated.

MLIT is also preparing for the implementation of the Management Safety Evaluation System by developing guidelines that prescribe for all modes of transportation a common section within each company’s safety management regulations dealing with the new system.

## (2) Technological developments to prevent human error

As transportation systems become more sophisticated and traffic on these systems grows increasingly congested, human-machine systems will continue to accelerate in sophistication and complexity.

In response, MLIT will encourage the adoption of new and sophisticated technological systems that help prevent human error. It will also actively support the development of technologies that alert train operators and others to potentially dangerous situations and that assist those managing transportation systems to monitor the status of the vehicles operating in their systems.
## Changes in Vessels, Fatalities and Missing People in Maritime Accidents

## CHAPTER 2 MARITIME TRANSPORT

## 1 Maritime Accident Trends

## 1 -1 Maritime accidents and rescues in 2005

(1) A total of 2,482 vessels were involved in maritime accidents, with 885 of them safely returning to port without assistance. Of the remaining 1,597 vessels, 1,357 needed rescuing. A total of 13,655 people were aboard vessels involved in accidents. Vessels requiring no assistance carried 8,293, while 5,217 of the remaining 5,362 required rescue.

(2) There were 145 people who died or became missing in maritime accidents, and 131 people who died or became missing after falling overboard.

(3) Fishing vessels reported the largest percentage of total fatalities and missing persons involved in maritime accidents or falling overboard, 60% for the former and 63% for the latter.

2. Figures for fatalities and missing people include those who, due to illness or other reasons, became unable to operate the vessel and died as it drifted.

## 1 -2 Major constituents of 2005 maritime accidents and rescues, including pleasure boats

(1) A total of 985 pleasure boats $ ^{1} $ were involved in maritime accidents, with 179 returning to port without assistance. Of the remaining 806, 727 required rescue.

(2) The number of pleasure boats involved in maritime accidents declined by 141 against the previous year, but pleasure boats accounted for 40% of all vessels in maritime accidents.
# Planned Maritime-Safety Initiatives

— From the Eighth Fundamental Traffic Safety Program —

## 1 Basic thinking

Because maritime accidents can have untold consequences for economic activity and the natural environment and lead to loss of precious life, the top priority is prevention. There is a need to enforce maritime safety measures aimed at securing the capability to mount prompt and appropriate search and rescue missions for crew members and others involved in maritime accidents and to aim for a society free of maritime accidents.

## 2 Objectives

- To prevent major maritime accidents resulting in obstruction of waterways in congested coastal waters and to reduce the incidence of such accidents to zero.

- To reduce the number of fatalities and missing persons resulting from maritime accidents and falling overboard to fewer than 220 per year by 2010.

## 3 Measures

## (1) Perspective

There is a need to implement more effective measures by extending and bolstering the capability to mount rescues promptly and appropriately in coastal waters while taking various steps to prevent maritime accidents.

## (2) Measures to be implemented

## {1} Environment enhancement

Sea craft are growing in size and speed, uses of coastal seas are becoming more diverse and maritime traffic more complex. Against this background, the government is taking steps to improve information in the form of navigation charts and coastal pilots and communication utilizing IT while upgrading waterways, harbors, fishing ports and aids to navigation to ensure safe and smooth passage of sea craft and harbor safety.

## {2} Maritime safety campaigns

In order to raise awareness not only among marine personnel but also marine-leisure fans and, ultimately, all citizens, the government will utilize every opportunity to draw attention to the importance of preventing maritime accidents. It will also implement more specific and effective

Learning to put on life jackets
safety-instruction programs adapted for the characteristics of each vessel type and the incidence and nature of accidents.

## {3} Ensuring safe operation

The government aims to ensure safe operation of vessels by maintaining and improving the knowledge and skills of marine personnel and establishing a framework for promoting safe operation. It will also take action to oversee the qualifications of crew members of foreign ships calling into Japanese ports under the terms of international treaties. Furthermore, it will press for a total commitment to safety at all levels from top management to crew and will introduce a Safety Management Assessment program, which it will use to confirm the process.

## {4} Maritime safety assurance

To ensure maritime safety, the government, acting under the terms of international treaties, will update safety-management standards related to vessel structure, facilities and marine transportation of dangerous substances and implement steps to supervise the structure and equipment of foreign vessels calling at Japanese ports. It will also take necessary measures to promote use of universal designs.

## {5} Improving safety of small craft

In order to prevent accidents involving small craft, which account for the majority of maritime accidents, the government will improve the environment for safe operation and bolster its rescue capabilities in addition to raising safety consciousness among marine-leisure fans and commercial fishing-boat operators. It will also promote measures to prevent disasters involving elderly crew members and commercial fishing vessels resulting in casualties based on the Basic Plan concerning disaster prevention for seafarers and the Implementation Plan concerning disaster prevention for seafarers.

## {6} Maintenance of maritime law and order

In addition to strengthening the regulation and policing of navigation in congested waterways as well as criminal activities likely to result in maritime accidents, the government will bolster regulation and policing during seasons of heavy marine-transportation activity and marine-leisure activity to maintain maritime law and order.

## {7} Improving rescue and emergency services systems

The government will upgrade its rescue and emergency role to ensure rapid access to information about accidents, accurate predictions of current drifts, rapid mobilization of rescue teams and also to reinforce search and rescue capabilities. This will include shortening response times by upgrading mobile rescue capabilities utilizing the maneuverability and speed of helicopters and improving the operations of emergency life-saving technicians.

## {8} Victim support

With respect to the obligation of vessel owners to compensate passengers and third
parties injured in maritime accidents, the government will take action to notify relevant parties of expanded mandatory insurance requirements and boost the extent of insurance coverage while ensuring appropriate compensation taking into account changes in compensation levels.

Following major accidents, the Japan Coast Guard, police, medical institutions, local-government organizations and private victim-support organizations will cooperate to support victims.

{9} Improving capabilities in research and development and investigation and analysis The government will undertake comprehensive investigative studies related to maritime safety to identify the causes of maritime accidents and promptly reflect the findings in safety measures aimed at strengthening maritime safety.
## 2 Current Maritime Traffic Safety Measures

## 2 -1 Maritime environment enhancements

## Traffic safety enhancements

In accordance with the Priority Plan for Social Infrastructure Development, projects were carried out to develop ports, harbors, and selected waterways, and to enhance the earthquake resistance of ports and harbors. Under the Long-term Development Plan for Fisheries Infrastructure (FY2002-2006), improvements were made to fishing-port and area facilities to promote greater safety for fishing vessels.

## 2 -2 Maritime safety campaigns

Safety programs based on study and analysis of measures to prevent a recurrence of maritime accidents

A review of 2004 maritime accidents revealed that some 70% involved commercial fishing vessels or pleasure boats, and approximately 70% were the result of human error, such as failure to maintain adequate watch. To address this, the government sponsored programs in 2005 to encourage use of life jackets, enforce rules on maintaining watch and other measures to prevent maritime accidents based on recent accident trends and the characteristics of each type of vessel. These included lectures on accident prevention and visiting vessels to provide instruction.

## 2 -3 Promotion of vessel safety

## Safety measures for pleasure boats

Measures were implemented to enhance rescuing capabilities along coastal areas susceptible to maritime accidents, including more efficient use of patrol boats and aircraft, as well as initiatives to utilize fully the maneuverability, search and vertical-rescue capabilities of helicopters, especially at times and in areas where pleasure boats are active.
## Focus

## Ensuring Safe Operation of Vessels

Between February and April 2006, there was a series of incidents involving a collision between a jetfoil traveling at high speed and some obstacle. One serious accident in April resulted in many injuries.

(1) On February 6, a jetfoil operated by JR Kyushu Jet Ferry struck an object thought to be a marine creature in an area north of Tsushima. On March 5, there was a similar incident in an area east of Tsushima and 14 passengers sustained slight injuries.

MLIT reacted to these incidents by issuing a notice to the company with instructions to:

• keep a sharper look-out

- collect and analyze information from eyewitnesses and take steps to reduce speed;

• enforce the wearing of seatbelts during high-speed navigation.

As the company was involved in two similar accidents shortly thereafter, MLIT again instructed all operators of similar vessels to enforce the points outlined in the above-stated notice.

(2) On April 9, a jetfoil operated by Kagoshima Shosen between Kagoshima, Ibusuki, Tanegashima and Yakushima, collided with an obstacle at the entrance to Kagoshima Bay, resulting in minor and serious injuries to 110 passengers.

MLIT responded to this incident by conducting emergency inspections of premises of all operators of similar vessels to instruct them to publicize and implement the points outlined in the above-stated notice.

(3) In view of the above developments and in the interests of ensuring the safety of ultra-high-speed vessels, MLIT set up on April 13 a committee comprised of relevant administrative bodies, experts, manufacturers and vessel operators to study comprehensive and effective measures to secure safer operation of ultra-high-speed vessels from both the perspective of the physical structure of vessels and their operation and management.

II On April 13, 2006, there was a serious accident involving a collision in dense fog between two cargo ships (the 6,182-ton Philippine-registered Eastern Challenger carrying a crew of 25 and the 498-ton Tsugaru-maru carrying a crew of 5), resulting in the sinking of the Eastern Challenger.

All crew members of the Eastern Challenger were rescued by a Japan Coast Guard patrol boat and by the Tsugaru-maru.

As there was discharge of fuel oil from the Eastern Challenger following its sinking, the vessel owners immediately implemented measures to control the discharged oil by contracting with private organizations, including the Maritime Disaster Prevention
Center, an independent administrative agency.

The Japan Coast Guard mobilized patrol boats, aircraft and an oil-spillage control squad to survey the floating oil and control any discharged oil working in concert with the private organizations contracted by the vessel owners. Most of the discharged oil was dispersed and eliminated, but a portion washed up in Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture. Accordingly, the head of the Third Regional Maritime Safety Headquarters issued a request to the governor of Chiba Prefecture and the mayor of Tateyama City to take remedial action based on the Japanese law for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and Prevention of Marine Casualties (No. 136, 1970).

MLIT conducted a special audit of the operator of the Tsugaru-maru and on April 18 issued a safety order to the operator based on the Coastal Shipping Business Law (No. 151, 1952), instructing the owner to collect information about weather and hydrographic conditions and to comply with operational standards in the event of an accident.
## CHAPTER 3 AIR TRANSPORT

## 1 Air Traffic Accident Trends

## 1 -1 Air-traffic accidents in recent years

A total of 23 accidents (involving Japanese commercial aircraft anywhere in the world or foreign commercial aircraft in Japan) occurred in 2005, resulting in 16 fatalities and 18 injuries. In recent years, there have been only two or three accidents per year involving large aircraft, mainly as a result of air turbulence. Most accidents involved small aircraft.

Changes in Civil Aircraft Accidents and Casualties

Aircraft type	Number of accidents	Number of casualties
Year	Large aircraft	Small aircraft	Ultra-light aircraft	Heli-copters	Gyro-planes	Gliders	Airships	Total	Fatalities	Injuries
2001	2	6	2	7	0	4	0	21	12	131
2002	4	4	5	15	0	7	0	35	13	65
2003	3	10	3	1	0	2	0	19	12	13
2004	5	11	2	6	1	3	0	28	14	23
2005	1	8	0	7	0	7	0	23	16	18

Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Notes: 1. All figures are as of the end of the given year.

2. Figures include accidents involving Japanese aircraft outside Japan (1 in 2003, 2 in 2004).

3. Figures include accidents involving foreign aircraft in Japan (1 in 2003, 1 in 2005).

4. Figures do not include natural deaths or non-accidental casualties (self-inflicted or otherwise) that occurred on board aircraft.

5. Fatalities include all deaths occurring within 30 days and missing people.

6. Injury figures for 2005 are provisional.

## 1 -2 Problems involving air-traffic safety in 2005

## Safety problems involving air carriers

Since January 2005, there has been a noticeable increase in problems resulting from human error or aircraft defects among Japanese air carriers. Notably, the Japan Airline group has experienced a series of safety problems, including improper use of undercarriage components in a cargo carrier and violations of traffic-control instructions at New Chitose Airport and at Incheon International Airport in South Korea (on January 22 and March 11).

## Safety problems with air-traffic control

On 16 August 2005, there was a problem of improper handling of flight plan clearance for departing aircraft between a pilot and air-traffic controller at Niigata Airport and a similar problem at Miyazaki Airport on September 23. On November 2, as a result of non-provision of a landing clearance to an arriving aircraft by air traffic control, the aircraft had to abort a landing and restart its approach at Osaka International Airport. All of these incidents involved problems with air-traffic control.