resolution, the construction of the road network supporting international logistics is being pushed forward through chiefly and effectively developing access roads connecting expressways which link to logistics activity centers, that is, airports and ports. Moreover, other than promoting Sea and Rail utilization by combining ocean and railway transportation and supporting the increase in freight demand in East Asia, the promotion of consistent international multi-modal transportation, such as the development of railway transshipment facilities in super central ports and local feeder transportation, is underway.

### 2. Policy for Construction of Efficient Logistics System

(1) Promotion of introducing information technology for logistics

In the field of logistics, it is important to push forward precisely the introduction of Information and Communications Technology (ITC) on various fronts, such as by the optimization of administrative procedures relating to business efficiency, congestion avoidance and logistics flow.

## (2) Efficiency enhancement of logistics between regions

For improving the efficiency of consistent multi-modal transportation, the reinforcement of freight transportability and development of ports, freight terminals and other logistics centers are being carried out. In order to increase the transportability of railway freight transportation between Kitakyushu and Fukuoka and of Suda Station, facilities development such as the extension of terminal lines/container platforms is being implemented.

Additionally, for truck transportation, the basic network consisting of high-standard roads connecting main cities, metropolitan beltways and high-standard expressways supporting the nation and regions are being developed. At the same time, the approval system for the Comprehensive Plan on Efficient Improvement $ ^{1} $ was established and support is provided according to the “Act on Advancement of Integration and Streamlining of Distribution Business”. By the end of March 2010, the number of approved Comprehensive Plans on Efficient Improvement based on the same act was 140.

## (3) Efficiency enhancement of logistics in the city

The efficiency enhancement of logistics in the city has become an issue due to the global warming problem, compact city formation, an increase in large-scale multi-purpose buildings and a rise in the rigidity of parking control. In FY 2009, the “Project on Logistics Cooperative Efficiency Enhancement Promotion” was established with the cooperation of logistics corporations, shippers, regional public organizations and other parties related to logistics for supporting cooperative transportation within the city and the area surrounding the logistics center, modal-shift measures and measures for improving logistics efficiency. 12 projects in total were approved.

Additionally, based on the “Act on the Improvement of Urban Distribution Centers”, the development of 22 cities and 29 urban distribution centers $ ^{2} $ were carried out (27 areas are in progress among these) by the end of March 2010. Moreover, the enhancement of urban distribution functionality and the improvement of the smoothness of road traffic are being worked out by locating the facilities of distribution businesses appropriately and intensively.

Furthermore, in order to reduce the number of vehicles parking and processing freight on the road, regional public organizations are being pushed to build ancillary freight processing facilities based on the ordinance on the duty to provide ancillary parking facility. Up to the end of March 2009, 82 autonomous bodies have implemented ordinance revision by adding the duty to provide ancillary parking facilities for certain commercial facilities.

In addition to this, in order to push forward measures on traffic flow, the road network development of expressways such as beltways, structural enhancement of intersections and the resolution of non-open railroad crossings are being worked out. At the same time, measures such as the independent diversion $ ^{3} $ of trucks are being pushed forward for the purpose of improving freight carrying efficiency.

## (4) Measures for new logistics services

In light of business resource concentration towards the main business of shipping enterprises and the necessity of supporting sophisticated logistics needs, the number of logistics corporations developing a new logistics service business called the 3PL $ ^{4} $ business is increasing.

To further push forward the 3PL business, the development of conditions favoring logistics corporations for the 3PL business is being worked out, through the implementation of 3PL personnel training and the formation of the “Regional 3PL Business Model”.