routes had been narrowing down because ships were becoming larger and collaboration between shipping companies progressing, the International Container Strategy Port and Harbor Policy Promotion Committee released its final conclusions in January 2014 focusing on the three key principles of “concentration,” as by picking up cargoes at strategic ports from sources over a broad area, “creation,” as by integrating industries in the hinterlands of strategic ports, and “increased competitiveness,” as by reinforcing the functionalities of deepwater container terminals or creating a government system of investment into port management companies.

Reflecting the committee’s discussions, the Law for Making Partial Amendments to the Port and Harbor Law was enforced in July 2014, allowing national governmental investment into the port management companies at international container strategic ports, adding warehouses that involve distribution and processing in the vicinity of piers at international container strategic ports to a list of facilities eligible for the interest-free loan program and so on.

In October 2014, special port operating companies at Hanshin Port merged with one another to incorporate Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation, which works to book cargoes at Hanshin Port by leveraging the International Strategic Port Competitiveness Enhancement Project Note. In December 2014, the government made an investment in Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation to craft a scheme of collaboration among the government, port management body and the private sector.

From now on, the international container strategic port and harbor policies will be deepened and also initiatives be accelerated.

### b. Forming a marine transportation network for moving resources, energy sources and so on with stability and efficiency

In a globally tight supply and demand climate for resources, energies and so on, importing these materials with stability and at low cost has become an pressing issue for Japan, because the nation depends on imports for virtually all of her requirements for these materials.

Japan is, therefore, committed to forging a marine transportation network to move resources, energy sources, etc. with stability and efficiency by building large vessel-ready port and harbor facilities of core importance, by encouraging inter-business collaboration and so on. On December 1, 2013, the amended Port and Harbor Act came into effect to this end, along with associated cabinet orders and ministerial ordinances. The Act authoriizes the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to name designated cargo import ports as import sites for bulk cargoes, such as coals, and also stipulates measures, etc. in support of such ports. On December 19 of the same year, Onahama Port, which had been selected to be one of the international bulk strategic ports, was named the nation’s first designated bulk import port (coal). On December 4, 2014, Fukushima Prefecture, the port manager, created and publicized a joint shipping plan utilizing large vessels in an inter-business partnership. As for port development, the construction of two international physical distribution terminals was commenced, one was 18 meters deep at Onahama Port for handling coal starting from FY2013 and the other is a 14 meter deep at Kushiro Port for handling grains starting from FY2014. The goal is to realize a stable, low-cost supply of imports and thus build up Japan’s industrial competitiveness, create more employment and prevent outflow of earnings abroad.

### c. Building functionally core ports on the Japan Sea

Among the ports located on the coastal line of the Japan Sea geographically close to the fast economically growing nations across the sea, core ports were selected in November 2011 in an effort to capture the economic booms in these nations into Japan’s growth through selection of functions and concentration of measures and through port-to-port linkage and to build a disaster-resistant logistics network following the Great East Japan Earthquake. The progress and other aspects of the plans formulated by port managers will be followed up from now on.