## Section 3 Promoting the Implementation of Transport Policy

## Basic Act on Transport Policy

The Basic Act on Transport Policy was promulgated and enforced in December 2013 as a key legislation that defines the basic principles of the transport policy, stipulates the policies to be taken to implement these principles and the responsibilities of the State and local governments, and so on.

The Basic Act on Transport Policy is meant to establish a framework that formulates and implements policies on transport with integrated support from relevant parties in order to meet the needs of the present age for transport. It stipulates the basic principles in promoting transport policies, such as realizing the rich lives of the citizens, enhancing international competitiveness, improving vitality in local areas and getting prepared for large-scale disasters, and the basic policies that need to be implemented to realize these principles, in recognition of the value of properly fulfilling the basic demand for transportation among the public, etc..

The Act goes on to lay down the responsibilities of the State and local governments for formulation and implementation of policies on transport, the responsibilities of the operators and the role of the citizens in cooperating on implementation of the policies, and coordination and cooperation among these parties, etc.. Further, the Government is set to formulate a “Basic Plan on Transport policy”, a fundamental scheme relating to policies on transport, and to articulate key guidelines and goals of the policies on transport as well as measures to be taken by the Government, and so on.

The Government is committed to tackling various tasks relating to transport policies in a concerted effort to promote implementation of policies on transport in a comprehensive and systematic manner.

## Figure II-2-3-1 Structure of Basic Act on Transport Policy

#### Basic principles, etc. (Art. 2-7)

### Basic Recognition (Art. 2)

Functions of Transport

-Security of self-reliant daily lives & social lives of citizens

-Active inter-regional & international exchanges

-Smooth distribution of goods

Importance of appropriately satisfying basic demand of citizens, etc. for transport

Securing and improving the Functions of Transport (Art. 3)

Coping with rapid progress of aging population combined with low birthrates, to contribute to;

- Realization of the rich lives of the citizens

- Enhancement of international competitiveness

- Improvement of vitality in local areas

To appropriately cope with a large scale-disaster

Reducing the Environmental Load (Art. 4)

Appropriate Role-Sharing & Coordination among Various Modes of Transport (Art. 5)

Securing Traffic Safety (Art. 7)

In sufficient coordination with measures for traffic safety under Traffic Safety Policy Basic Act

Responsibilities of the State and Other Relevant Actors (Art. 8-11)

Coordination & Cooperation (Art. 6 & 12)

Legislative & Financial Measures (Art. 13)

Annual Reports to the Diet (Art. 14)

[Realization of the rich lives of the citizens]

Securing means of transport for daily lives (Art. 16) ... Consideration for traffic situations in isolated islands, etc.

Smooth movement of the elderly, persons with disabilities, etc. (Art.17) ... Consideration for pregnant women & people with buggies, etc.

Improvement of convenience, smoothing and optimisation of transport services (Art. 18) ... Securing punctuality & Smoothing connection between transport services, etc.

[Enhancement of international competitiveness]

Formulation of international maritime & aviation transport networks and their hubs, Strengthening of the function to connect international & domestic transport networks (Art. 19)

## [Improvement of vitality in local areas]

Formulation of domestic transport networks & transport hubs (Art.20)

## [Preparation for large-scale disasters]

Mitigation of deterioration of the functions of transport & Quick recovery in the event of a large-scale disaster (Art. 22) ... Improvement of the safety against earthquakes, Mutually alternative means of transport & Smooth evacuation of people

## [Reduction of the Environmental Load]

Eco-friendly cars, Modal shift & Increasing the convenience of public transport passengers (Art.23)

[Appropriate Role-Sharing & Coordination]

Development of a comprehensive transport system (Art. 24) ... Intensive development concerning demand for transport & situations of decrepit transport facilities

Coordination with town planning & achievement of a tourism nation, etc (Art. 25 - 27)

### Research and Study (Art. 28)

Source) MLIT