Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
## (3) Promoting utility-pole-free town development

Utility-pole-free town development along non-trunk, as well as trunk, roads has been promoted in collaboration with the local residents, utility pole administrators and so on to form a good landscape, promote tourism, secure a safe and comfortable passage space, make roads more disaster-prepared and so on while seeking ways to cut costs.

## (4) Promoting “Scenic Byway Japan”

The “Scenic Byway Japan” campaign has been promoted, with various entities working in collaboration, to form scenic beauty built around the nation’s byways by taking advantage of regional resources. As of the end of March 2013, a total of 130 routes are registered as Scenic Byways in support of the activities that make for the formation of beautiful landscapes and the enhancement of regional charms.

## (5) Promoting the development of waterfront spaces, etc

To facilitate the use of rivers as an immediately accessible natural space for anybody, river development projects designed to enhance public affinity to the waterside, the scenery and other characteristics of rivers have been promoted, including the “Neo-Natural River Reconstruction” project, the “River Town Development” support program, the “Projects for Waterfront Schools for Fun” campaign.

In addition, the development of purling brooks utilizing spaces in public sewerage storm sewers, etc. and the facilities designed to use treated sewage water as purling water has been promoted to create and renovate waterfronts by utilizing sewerage facility spaces and treated sewer as purling water. Wastewater treatment is also properly carried out to create and preserve a good water environment.

## 2 Community Development Taking Advantage of Nature, History and Culture

(1) Preservation, utilization, etc. of Japan's cultural properties by designation as National Government Park

The development of National Government Parks to preserve and utilize Japan’s cultural properties is being promoted. A total of 17 National Government Parks, including Asuka Historical National Government Park and Nara Palace Site Historical Park are already open. During FY2012, the Forest of the Ancient in Yoshinogari Historical Park was developed.

## (2) Preservation of Historic Landscape in Ancient Capital

Based on the Act on Special Measures Concerning the Preservation of Historic Landscape in Ancient Capitals (“Ancient Capitals Preservation Act”), the historic landscape of the ancient capitals, such as Kyoto, Nara and Kamakura, has been preserved by regulating acts such as new construction, enlargement, remodeling of a building and alterations to the
existing landform, and also by conducting the ancient capitals preservation such as purchasing the ownership of the land, and awareness-raising of ancient capitals preservation.

## (3) Preserving and utilizing public buildings of historical value, etc

To make for regional town development, efforts that help create a new forum of exchange, as by positioning a historical sabo facility and the surrounding environment as a core of regional tourist resources and refurbishing the whole environment, as well as promoting the preservation and utilization of time-honored government facilities that have been loved for long by the locals, have been promoted.

Historical sabo facility protecting a region

Ushibuse River mainstream channel designated as an Important Cultural Property (Nagano Prefecture)

Source) MLIT

## (4) Promoting urban development to take advantage of history and culture

To promote urban development that takes advantage of regional histories and traditional cultures, historic scenery maintenance and improvement district plans in 35 municipalities (as of March 31, 2013) have been accredited pursuant to the “Act on Maintenance and Improvement of Historic Landscape in a Community (Historical Urban Development Law)” to support activities adhering to the plans. In addition, empirical reviews and surveys have been conducted in 15 regions nationwide to solve issues of common concern in the formation of historical landscape.
## ⑤ Regional promotion built around ports

The MLIT supports municipal efforts to revitalize those regions where ports and harbors are located by granting General Social Infrastructures Development Subsidies to them. Port Promotion Plans for 42 projects have been accredited so far.

Further, Harbor Oases have been deployed nationwide to use port and seaside facilities as centers of interaction with local people, tourists and so on. As of the end of FY2012, 68 ports are registered across Japan. The National Council on Harbor Oases, which is committed to making these Harbor Oases a forum of information or human interaction, jointly implementing projects that help promote Harbor Oases nationwide, sponsors events, such as the “Harbor Oases Sea Gourmet National Convention,” stages joint promotional activities and so on.

In addition, efforts to promote regions around the core of a port are in progress, such as upgrading passenger terminals at a port to encourage overseas, as well as domestic, cruise ships to stop at the port.

## ⑥ Building centers of marine leisure

The MLIT promotes the inauguration of Umi-no-eki (Marine Stations; 143 as of the end of FY2012) to serve as a center of marine leisure and regional revitalization each and supports the implementation of events that give families, children, physically handicapped people, etc. a hands-on experience with the joy of marine leisure, keep them informed and so on and otherwise host campaigns to arouse national interest in the sea. It also proceeds with the development of an appropriate usage environment, as by exploring the possibility of making available fishing ports accessible to pleasure boats to address the needs of their users in consultation with the Fisheries Agency.

## (5) Promoting the maintenance of cadastral maps positively

Cadastral surveys are conducted by municipalities with regard to the boundaries of each individual parcel of land. The MLIT is keen to promote the maintenance of cadastral maps positively through the acceleration of cadastral surveys in the urban areas where such surveys lag behind, the implementation of public-private boundary surveys by the government in preparation for cadastral surveys, the implementation of boundary information maintenance surveys in the mountainous villages, review of the ways to utilize survey findings other than cadastral surveys and so on.

In the Great East Japan Earthquake-stricken areas, the clarification of the boundaries of land is promoted through the implementation of public-private boundary surveys by the government to speed up the pace of reconstruction.

As a lesson learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake, the maintenance of cadastral maps is also promoted mainly in those areas that are predicted to fall victim to massive quakes in the future, to help enhance the regional power to defend against quake damages in coordination with the efforts to prepare for and reduce the effects of natural disasters.
to specific characteristics and conditions of those regions and to remove barriers that impede public transport, as by introducing barrier-free or less-constrained systems.

Graphic II-4-2-5 Projects for Securing, Maintaining and Improving Regional Public Transport

Efforts that are implemented pursuant to plans, etc. that have been deliberated by various regional stakeholders to secure and maintain bus and demand-responsive transport and remote island sea and air routes, which are optimal means of transport that fill regional needs are supported in those regions where the continued availability of networks of regional transport is endangered.

## (2) Activating regional railways and supporting safety assurance, etc

While regional railways not only support the livelihood of the local residents living along the railways as a means of their daily transport but also play an important role in providing them with public transport of critical importance in supporting regional interaction between tourist resorts. However, their management is in an extremely tough situation. For this reason, the MLIT extends its support to the development of safety facilities by way of Projects for Securing, Maintaining and Improving Regional Public Transport or tax incentives and also to the construction, of new stations on those regional routes that hold large potential needs for railway usage by way of projects designed to activate trunk railways, etc. In addition, the MLIT is exploring ways to promote the deployment and proliferation of dual-mode vehicles (DMVs) $ ^{Note 1} $ which are expected to add a new charm to regional tourism, by organizing the Review Meeting on the Deployment and Proliferation of DMVs.

## (3) Subsidizing regional bus routes

Securing and maintaining means of regional public transport, such as public buses, for the benefit of local residents, particularly those with limited access to transport, such as elderly people and schoolchildren, is of critical importance. To help secure and maintain optimal networks of regional transport tailored to specific regional characteristics and conditions, the government has a policy of providing integrated support to the availability of regional transport services (such as interregional bus transport networks $ ^{Note 2} $ or bus, demand-responsive and other forms of regional transport $ ^{Note 3} $ closely related
Graphic II-4-3-1

development projects by private sectors in steady progress. In addition, a mezzanine financing service $ ^{Note} $ is implemented by the Organization for Promoting Urban Development to support the raising of middle-risk funds.

Status of Designation of Specific Urban Reconstruction Emergency Development Areas and Urban Reconstruction Emergency Development Areas

Examples of Central Tokyo and Coastal Regions

(2) Status of application of the measures to support urban reconstruction projects

## ① Zoning for Special Urban Reconstruction Districts

A Special Urban Reconstruction District is a new concept of urban district, with greater latitude of zoning, that is exempt from existing zoning restrictions. A total of 60 Special Urban Reconstruction Districts were zoned as of the end of March 2013, 41 of which had been proposed by private entrepreneurs, etc.

## ② Accreditation of private urban reconstruction project plan

Private urban reconstruction project plans accredited by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (63 plans as of the end of March 2013) are financially supported by the Organization for Promoting Urban Development or granted tax incentives.

Example of a Private Urban Development Project Accredited by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Loop Route 2 Shimbashi-Toranomon District Category 2 Urban District Redevelopment Project

Areas around Shimbashi on Loop Route 2, Akasaka and Roppongi aim to shape a globalized area of human interaction offering diversified functions, including international financing.

This Project expects to build a new multifunctional urban complex housing a diversity of functions, including business facilities that make for the formation of an international business center, urban residences complete with good dwelling amenities, commercial

facilities that create festivities and hotels and conference halls that host forums of international cultural and human interaction. Further, it builds a large low-rise square connecting to the ground to of Loop Route 2 to create a broad, expansive space of green and openness to forge an urban center full of green and pleasing comfort, as well to provide a disaster protection center to make for urban rejuvenation from the aftermaths of natural disasters.

Source): MLIT
## ⑤ Building a safe, secure land

Japan has recently been hit by a chain of major natural disasters, including the Great East Japan Earthquake. Hokkaido, too, has suffered heavy snowfalls, severe snowstorms, landslide disasters and wind and flood damages and remains largely open to massive earthquakes, such as those stemming from the Japan and Kuril Trenches, and tsunami, posing a number of tasks that need to be solved before a safe, secure regional community can be formed. Hence, the MLIT has promoted disaster preparedness efforts in conjunction with local governments, residents, etc. to make social infrastructures immune to earthquakes, take integrated packages of flood control and landslide control measures, build reliable networks of roads, reinforce crisis management systems and so on. In the meantime, looming concerns over the maintenance and management of aging facilities step up efforts to get the jobs done effectively and efficiently, including ways to combat aging, make the facilities longer-lived and perform preventive management on them.

## 2 Promoting Distinctive Regions and Cultures

## (1) Promoting the regions neighboring the Northern Territories

The MLIT has driven the implementation of those measures necessary to promote the regions neighboring the Northern Territories in which the desirable growth of a local community has been impeded because of a pending territorial issue and also to stabilize the living of the local residents in this region in an integrated manner. In FY2012, a conference was formed by the national government, Hokkaido and one city and four towns in the regions neighboring the Northern Territories to explore a package of the structural measures that need to be promoted on a priority basis during the Seventh Northern Territories Neighboring Region Promotion Planning Period (FY2013 to FY2017) and the non-structural measures to leverage the structural measures in an effort to shape an appealing regional community in the neighboring region.

## (2) Promoting the Ainu Culture, etc

The MLIT disseminates the concepts of the tradition and culture of the Ainu, a source of the pride the Ainu people take, pursuant to the “Act on the Promotion of Ainu Culture, and Dissemination and Enlightenment of Knowledge about Ainu Tradition, etc.”

In FY2012, a welcome message “irankarapte (Hello.)” in the Ainu language was put up at a connecting passageway between the domestic and international terminals at New Chitose Airport.

Further, the MLIT deliberates on the future course of the dissemination and enlightenment activity in a partnership with various entities, such as authorities concerned and private enterprises, that was compiled with a view to promote public understanding based on the report of the Working Group for Ainu Policy Promotion.

The Ainu people welcome visitors by the traditional Ainu dance at an international terminal at New Chitosse Airport

Source) MLIT
## Column

## Building a HOP – Effort to Promote the Exportation of Hokkaido-Made Products

While Hokkaido-made products, such as farm and marine products and processed food, have met with an exceptionally high evaluation in Asian countries, needs for Hokkaido-made products are often small-sized and varied and the cargoes requires temperature management during transit, such as refrigerating and freezing. In the circumstances, Hokkaido is obliged to miss export opportunities because of its lack of the logistic functions for efficiently moving less-than container loads of frozen and refrigerated cargoes and the commercial distribution functions, such as business transaction services tailored to multi-item, high-frequency demands.

In a bid to address these issues of logistics and commercial distribution and to help expand the exports of Hokkaido-made products and simplify the flow of their distribution, the Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism inaugurated "The Hokkaido products export promotion study group through international distribution" jointly with Sapporo University in September 2011. The Workshop proposes "Hokkaido export Platform (HOP)," a scheme of exporting Hokkaido-made products directly and consistently, including services that move less-than container loads of frozen and refrigerated cargoes.

With the participation of private logistic firms in support of this concept, “Sample airfreight transport service” and “Services for transporting less-than container loads of frozen and refrigerated cargoes” have been launched since September 2012. The Study group is also exploring plans to transport frozen and refrigerated goods in a consolidated fashion by sea and by overseas maritime transport in railway containers.

The Study group, working in cooperation with the agencies concerned, aims to complete HOP in a five-year program.

## Hokkaido export Platform (HOP)

Air transport

Marine transport

Trading firm functions

• Fostering of exporters

Transport functions

• Collection of small-lot cargoes

• Freezing and refrigerating

Customs clearance function

• Export document creation

Trading firm functions

• Collection of local information

• Collection of bills

Transport functions

• Door-to-door home delivery

Customs clearance function

• Customs clearance services
services to be made available and so on, so that it can formulate Integrated Urban/Regional Transport Strategies covering relevant traffic measures, working programs and the like (at the end of March 2013, Integrated Urban/Regional Transport Strategies had been formulated or were being formulated in 77 cities), with the stakeholders taking their respective shares of responsibility for implementing measures or projects. The national government is expected to encourage the implementation of integrated and strategic packages of traffic projects, such as the development of LRT $ ^{Note 1} $ pursued according to the Strategies, and town making programs.

### (2) Advancing TDM, etc. to mitigate traffic congestion

While the cure for solving the status of motor-vehicle traffic or road traffic jams varies from one city to another, TDM (transportation demand management) $ ^{Note 2} $ offers a solution customizable to suit urban characteristics. The Ministry promotes the dissemination of integrated, effective approaches to TDM. To mitigate traffic jams that could occur during morning and evening rush hours or at any time of the day, the Ministry has put into action measures to encourage the use of public transport facilities, such as introducing bus location systems, park-and-ride $ ^{Note 3} $ plans and TDM measures, such as staggered commuting, in addition to developing networks of highways and upgrading traffic capacities as by diffusing bottlenecks. Mobility management $ ^{Note 4} $ has been driven in some regions, where bus route maps and leaflets are disseminated to the local residents to prompt them to review the ways they use cars and make better use of public transport facilities.

## (3) Approaches to betterment of the public transport usage environment

The Ministry supports the introduction, etc. of LRT, BRT, IC cards and other less constrained systems through the implementation of regional public transport assurance, maintenance and improvement projects to accelerate the betterment of the regional public transport usage environment as part of its barrier-free community planning effort. In FY2012, light
rail vehicles (LRVs) were installed by Fukui Railway Co., Ltd. and other operators.

## (4) Upgrading urban railway networks

Urban railway networks have upgraded to a considerable extent to date as they had been refurbished with a primary view to building up their transportation capacities to ease traffic congestion. As a result, traffic jams in the major metropolitan areas during commuting to and from office or school are on the decline keeping in pace with the continuing trends, etc. towards an aging population with fewer births. The rate of congestion on some routes, however, remains as high as over 180% and dictates continued efforts to mitigate congestion. Efforts in progress include quadruple tracking of Odakyu Electric Railway’s Odawara Line and modifications to Tokyu’s Toyoko Line, both funded by the Designated Urban Railway Development Reserve Program.

A Sotetsu-JR through line, a Sotetsu-Tokyu through line and more have been developed by leveraging the Act on Enhancement of Convenience of Urban Railways, etc., a legislation aimed at upgrading the speediness and traffic node functions of existing urban railway networks, to further enhancements to the urban railway networks, including added user convenience.

Developments in the Average Rate of Congestion, Transportation Capacity and Passenger Capacity in Three Major Metropolitan Areas (Index: FY1975 = 100)

Graphic II-5-3-2

Passenger Capacity (Index: FY1975 = 100)

Tokyo Area: 31 sections

Osaka Area: 20 sections

Nagoya Area: 8 sections

Source) Developed by the MLIT from: "Urban Transport Yearly Report" compiled by the Institution for Transport Policy Studies and other relevant literature.

## (5) Development of urban monorails, new transport systems and LRTs

The Ministry promotes the development of LRTs, etc. to encourage users' migration to public transport facilities from viewpoints of streamlining urban traffic flow, lightening environmental loads and reactivating central urban areas while keeping vulnerable road users assured of mobility in a period of an aging population with falling birthrates. In FY2012, a track greening project was carried out for Kagoshima Municipal Streetcars (Kagoshima City Transportation Bureau) to turf streetcar tracks to ease the heat-island effect, cut traveling noise and so on.

Track greening (Kagoshima Municipal Streetcars)

## (6) Augmenting the convenience of bus usage

Source) Kagoshima City Transportation Bureau

The convenience of bus usage has been augmented not only by driving the so-

called Omnibus Town Program that advances community planning around the core of bus services, but also by improving the punctuality and speediness features of bus services using a Public Transportation Priority System (PTPS), bus lanes or the like, introducing bus location systems to provide information about the location of buses in service and IC card systems to facilitate smooth getting-on and -out and so on.
(7) Leveraging and upgrading existing freeways

## ① Implementing diverse, flexible toll plans

30 percent or larger toll discounts on cars taking expressways at any time of the day on weekdays and daylong 50 percent and other toll discounts on standard-sized cars taking expressways Saturdays, Sundays and holidays have been put into effect as an expressway utility enhancement project to help simplify logistics and promote regional tourism.

## ② Advancing the development of smart ICs

The Ministry advances the development, etc. of smart interchanges (ICs) in its effort to help revitalize regional economies and mitigate traffic congestion and other problems by making effective use of existing networks of expressways.

• Japan’s expressway ICs are

Discounts introduced upon privatization (since November 2004 $ ^{*} $ )

$ ^{*} $ Phased in sequentially according to discount hours.

Source) MLIT

Discounts introduced by the utility enhancement project (October 2008 $ ^{*} $ to March 2014)

spaced about 10 km apart from each other, about two times more apart than in the U.S. and European nations.

• About 50 percent of the plants having a certain scale $ ^{Note} $ or larger are located within 5 km from an expressway IC.

• At present, smart ICs are in commercial service at 64 locations and under development at 30 locations (at the end of March 2013).

## Graphic II-5-3-4 Instances of Improvement on a Neighboring Road Around a Smart IC upon Its Development

The Nagaresugi Smart IC is a community-based IC that is frequently used during commuting hours.

With the commissioning of the smart IC into service, the prefectural government improved upon an traffic intersection and the city widened the neighboring road, all to streamline access to and from the smart IC and the central part of the city.

March 29, 2008: Pilot program started

April 1 2009: Commissioned into commercial service

Source) MLIT