Also, in the field of transport, to establish new technology that contributes to the safety and environmental protection of transportation or the sophistication of transport services, the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (Incorporated Administrative Agency) implements the “System for the Promotion of Basic Research in the Transport Sector”, and in FY 2012, eight continued issues were adopted. In order to implement technology development that contributes MLIT’s policy objectives in a more focused manner, this system will be abolished after FY 2012 and from FY 2013 and onward a new technology development promotion system for the traffic and transport sector will be implemented through MLIT.

## 2 Promoting the Utilization and Adoption of New Technology for Public Works

## (1) New Technology Utilization System for Public Works

In order to actively utilize promising new technology developed by private sector businesses, a “new technology utilization system for public works, etc.” that utilizes the New Technology Information System (NETIS) is under operation. In FY 2012, there were four recommended technologies and fifteen runner-up recommended technologies chosen as innovative new technologies that will raise the level of technology concerning public works. Also, in the MLIT Technology Basic Plan formulated in December 2012, in rebuilding the system, the need for appropriate national involvement in accordance with the novelty and importance of the technology was emphasized.

## (2) Supporting the Utilization of New Technology

To strive for the promotion of utilizing new technology for public works, price data for construction cost estimating, etc. are being created to contribute to practical procurement for new technology that is highly evaluated by experts for the effects of utilization and that the procuring office is considering the active utilization of.

## Section 3 Improving Construction Management Technology

## 1 Improving Costing Technology for Public Works

For the purpose of ensuring the transparency of public works, various price data standards are made public. Also, from FY 2012, to improve the efficiency of cost estimation, the "construction package type cost estimation formula" is being implemented on a trial basis. Furthermore, in response to the no-bidder/over-budget issue of recent years, overhead cost corrections for road maintenance projects in large urban areas or costing formulas that allows the reflection of the bidders' estimates in expected pricing is being tested implemented. Also, from FY 2010 for the purpose of improving the reciprocity between the contractor and contractee, when there is a change to the contract amount, the unit prices and other matters for estimating the monetary amount or partial payments will be agreed upon by negotiations before hand for the purpose of facilitating smother negotiations following design changes or partial payments as part of the "total value contract and unit pricing agreement formula" being implemented.

To ensure the fairness and transparency of contracted public works, in accordance with the Public Works Cost Estimation Guidelines and Estimation Standards for the purpose of calculating appropriate expected price which consists of the Public Works Standard Work Unit and Construction Machinery etc., Rent $ ^{Note} $ is used as a basis to set standard labor, materials, machinery and the amount needed as well as set various values for the calculation of machinery overhead per type of construction. The standard labor of public works changes in accordance with the social environment and changes in construction form or emergence of new construction methods or new construction types, so field studies need to be regularly conducted and for construction types where change is noted to swiftly reevaluate as necessary. Also, for construction machinery etc., rent, field studies are carried out for the construction machinery, etc., possessed by the contractor and the base value, maintenance and management costs, and operation costs are assessed for regular revisions.