## (Trends in the three major metropolitan areas)

The rate of increase in emissions is lower in the three major metropolitan areas, but this is partly due to the fact that the share of public transport remains at a high level. The number of railway users in the Tokyo metropolitan area, in particular, has remained stable in recent years although it decreased once in the past.

## (Trends in provincial regions)

The emissions in provincial regions show a sharp increase, but this is partly due to the increasing dependence on private automobiles. The number of railway and bus users, on the other hand, shows a drastic decrease. This has come to weigh on the management of the public transport operators and has led to their successive withdrawals in some regions from unprofitable service routes. Securing of means of transportation for local residents of areas that have lost public transport facilities has now become a serious issue.

Transition in the Number of Passengers carried by Buses and Railways in Provincial Regions

Note: The values for railways include the number of passengers carried by the local private railways (covering 46 operators out of 73 affiliated with the Association of Japanese Private Railways, excluding the 16 major private railway operators and 7 other mass transit system operators in major cities).

Source: Compiled from the "Statistics of Automobile Transport" by MLIT and materials published by the Association of Japanese Railways.

## (Trends of traveling along main lines)

The trends of passenger transport shares by distance with respect to traveling along main lines among cities and among regions reveal that the use of motor vehicles to travel a distance of less than 300 kilometers has increased. Increasing shifts from motor vehicles to railways in traveling distances over 300 to 500 kilometers and from other means to air transport in traveling distances over 500 kilometers are also noted.

Transition in Transport Shares by Traveling Distance Range

Note: Buses are included in “Motor Vehicles” in this survey.

Source: “Regional Freight & Passenger Transportation Survey,” Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Japan

## (Issues concerning the enhancement of the use of public transport facilities)

In order to establish transport facilities with reduced environmental load, it is necessary to promote a shift from private automobiles to public transport. An opinion poll conducted by the MLIT has revealed that an increasing demand for comfortable railway and bus services exists in the Keihin and Hanshin districts with a prerequisite condition of their immediate availability. In other regions, the poll revealed a situation where the use of private automobiles is induced by the absence of readily available railways or the inconvenience in using the existing facilities due to their low service frequencies.

Making regional public transport facilities more convenient, as well as revitalizing and restoring them will lead to a reduction of environmental load through an enhanced use of public transport. In addition, the facilities will also support the independent lives of residents by securing their means of traveling, securing and enriching the quality of their lives and contributing to the development of regional economies.