## 5 ) Popularization and promotion of eco-drive

According to the “Eco-Drive Popularization and Action Plan Promotion” formulated by the Eco-Drive Popularization Communication Committee, the active publicity of the eco-drive promotion month (November) was also carried out in FY 2009. In addition, the Eco-Drive Management System (EMS) $ ^{1} $ popularization project is being implemented for supporting the total introduction of EMS machineries towards automobile transportation business operators.

## (2) Smoothing the traffic flow

As the improvement of effective fuel cost due to the increase in running speed resulting from the improvement of traffic flow smoothness can help to reduce $ CO_{2} $ emission from automobiles, the development of highway networks (e.g. belt highway) and multi-dimensional traffic junctions is being pushed forward. At the same time, measures against traffic flow are also being implemented such as the adjustment of automobile demand, the promotion of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), measures against bottle-necks at railroad crossings, etc.

## (3) Efficiency enhancement of logistics

The vehicles with the maximum sharing rate (in terms of ton per kilometer) among the transportation methods in domestic

logistics are trucks, which is over 50% of all logistics transport. The raw unit of $ CO_{2} $ emission $ ^{2} $ for trucks is greater than that of mass transportation institutions (railways and domestic marine transportation) and it is 36% of the $ CO_{2} $ emission in the transportation division combined with freight and passenger transportation (Railways and domestic marine transportation is about 8% in total). In order to support domestic logistics and to control $ CO_{2} $ emissions, it is necessary to work out the reduction of the fuel cost for trucks, improvement of transportation efficiency, private truck diversion and utilization of transportation methods with good energy-consumption efficiency. For pushing forward the modal shift of railway and marine transportation, other than implementing railway transportability strengthening projects

between northern Kyushu and Fukuoka as well as in Sumidagawa Station, the promotion of energy-saving ship construction is taken as part of the invigoration measures of domestic marine transportation. In addition, the popularization of the “Eco-Rail Mark (62 items of 50 products and the number of contributing enterprises certified was 59 as of February 2010) and the “Eco-Ship Mark” (27 freight owners and 30 logistics business operators are certified) is being worked on. Moreover, the land transportation distance reduction of international freights is being worked out through the development of international container terminals etc.

MLIT is cooperating with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, logistics organizations and freight owner organizations for holding the Green Logistics Partnership Conference and pushes forward logistics efficiency enhancement through strengthening cooperation with logistics business operators and freight owners. Furthermore, for projects for $ CO_{2} $ emission reduction that are being implemented through partnerships with logistics business operators and freight owners, support (240 projects at the end of FY 2009) is being provided and public relations through the Minister Recognition Award for excellent project is being carried out. Moreover, the logistics cooperation efficiency enhancement promotional project was established from FY 2009 and support is being provided to measures for enhancing logistics efficiency.

## (4) Promotion of public transportation use

The shift from private cars to public transportation can reduce the running of automobiles and there is also the need for pushing forward promotion from the view of measures against global warming. Therefore, other than improving public transportation convenience through the promotion of digitalization (e.g. the introduction of an IC card) and the improvement of transfers, the eco-commuting company certifying system was established in June 2009 and the measures for eco-commutation in different enterprises (companies) was pushed forward as a national activity. Additionally, the commuting transport greening promotional program was unfolded not only for companies but also for the invigoration of regional public transport. Moreover, through the “Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) Model