# Building a Safe and Comfortable Society

Section 1 Realizing a Universal Society

## 1 Realizing Accessibility through a Universal Design Concept

The "Act on Promotion of Smooth Transportation, etc. of Elderly Persons, Disabled Persons, etc." embodies the universal design concept of "freedom and convenience for anywhere and anyone," making it mandatory to comply with "Accessibility Standards" when newly establishing various facilities (passenger facilities, various vehicles, roads, off-street parking facilities, city parks, buildings, etc.), mandatory best effort for existing facilities as well as defining a development target for the end of FY 2020 under the "Basic Policy on Accessibility" to promote accessibility.

Also, in accordance with the local accessibility plan created by municipalities, focused and integrated promotion of accessibility is carried out in priority development district; to increase “caring for accessibility,” by deepening the national public’s understanding and seek cooperation for the promotion of accessibility, “accessibility workshops” are hosted where you learn to assist as well as virtually experience being elderly, disabled, etc.; these efforts serve to accelerate accessibility measures (sustained development in stages).

## (1) Accessibility of Public Transportation

In accordance with the “Act on Promotion of Smooth Transportation, etc. of Elderly Persons, Disabled Persons, etc.” public transportation administrators are required to comply with “Accessibility Standards for Public Transportation” when carrying out new development of passenger facilities or large-scale improvements as well as introducing new vehicles and for existing facilities. Efforts must be made to comply with these standards and staff must be educated and trained as needed to strive for accessibility as part of the stipulated requirements for mandatory efforts. In addition, assistance measures are available to support the accessibility of passenger ships as well as train stations and other passenger terminals along with the implementation of non-step (low-floor) busses, lift-equipped busses, welfare taxis, and other initiatives.

Graphic II-7-1-1 Current Accessibility of Public Transportation

As of 3/31/2012

Total Facilities	Passenger Facilities Compliant with Accessibility Standards for Public Transportation (No Grade Barriers) $ ^{(Note)} $ 1	Share of Total
Railway stations	3,442	2,788	81.0%
Bus terminals	51	41	80.4%
Passenger ship terminals	15	13	86.7%
Airport passenger terminals	28	25	89.3% $ (100) $ % $ (Note) $ 2

(Note) 1 Regarding “no grade barriers”, grading is calculated based on compliance with Article 4 (covering the width of travel paths, graded paths, elevators, escalators, etc.) of the ministerial ordinance (Accessibility Standards for Public Transportation) that defines the standards applicable to structures and facilities such as passenger facilities and vehicles necessary for smoothness of transport.

2 For “practical relief of grade barriers” (installation of elevators, escalators, and slopes that the disabled and others can use), this was achieved 100% by the end of March 2001.

☐ Vehicles

Total Vehicles	Vehicles Compliant with Accessibility Standards for Public Transportation $ ^{(Note)} $	Share of Total
Railway carriages	52,715	27,854	52.8%
Low-floor busses	46,025	17,661	38.4%
Lift-equipped busses	13,075	438	3.3%
Welfare taxis	—	13,099	—
Passenger ships	727	150	20.6%
Airplanes	509	438	86.1%

(Note) "Compliance with Accessibility of transport vehicles" is calculated based on each vehicle's compliance with the Accessibility Standards for Public Transportation.

Source) MLIT

## (2) Accessibility of Living and Housing Environments

## ① Accessibility of Housing and Architecture

In addition to supporting the acquirement of accessible housing for the independence or the caring of those such as the elderly and disabled, public housing and Urban Renaissance Agency (UR) rental housing makes accessibility a standard specification, and there are various measures to encourage the private sector to provide Housing with supportive services for the elderly as part of various supportive measures for those such as the elderly and disabled to have safe, comfortable and convenient living arrangements in their local community.