## 2 Approaching National Strategic Special Districts

Since the Act on National Strategic Special Districts came into effect in December 2013, the MLIT has been committed to comprehensively and intensively driving drastic regulatory reforms and other measures, including special measures under the Building Standards Act, Road Act and City Planning Act, to target the projects that are pursued by the national and local governments and private sectors working in a united effort in a state-designated National Strategic Special District. In the six zones designated in May 2014 (Tokyo Zone, Kansai Zone, Niigata City, Yabu City, Fukuoka City, Okinawa Prefecture), zonal meetings have been launched in sequence to accredit zonal plans encompassing special measures, etc. for the Road Act and the City Planning Act in the Tokyo Zone and those for the Road Act in Fukuoka City, for example.

Section 4

## Promoting Localized Promotion Measures

## Measures Directed at Heavy Snowfall Areas

The MLIT not only promotes the availability of transport and the development of the living environment and national land management facilities under the “Act on Special Measures concerning Countermeasures for Heavy Snowfall Areas” but also conducts surveys for safe, comfortable community planning. As of April 2014, 532 municipalities were specified as heavy-snowfall areas (201 of which were designated as special heavy-snowfall areas).

## Promoting Remote Islands Development

The MLIT is supporting remote islands development pursuant to the remote islands development plans formulated by the prefectures in accordance with the Remote Islands Development Act not only by appropriating lump-sum budgets for the implementation of public works projects, but also extending “Remote Islands Rejuvenation Grants,” to encourage settlement in remote islands, as by fostering industries and increasing employment, accelerating the scope of exchanges, as by promoting tourism, improve and consolidate safe and secure settlement conditions and so on.

## 3 Promoting and Developing the Amami Islands and Ogasawara Islands

In addition to continuing with the development, etc. of social infrastructures through implementation of promotion and development projects, etc. based on the Act on Special Measures for Promotion and Development of the Amami Islands and Act on Special Measures for Promotion and Development of the Ogasawara Islands extended and amended in April 2014, the MLIT leverages newly founded grants, etc. to assist with regional efforts directed at boosting employment and encouraging settlement by promoting tourism, agricultural and other industries suited to regional characteristics in pursuit of more self-supporting, more sustainable growth.

## Promoting Peninsulas

The MLIT supports development of peninsular loop roads, etc. and the promotion, etc. of industries in the peninsular areas under development (as of April 2014, 23 areas spanning 194 municipalities in 22 prefectures) based on the peninsular areas development plans prepared by municipalities in accordance with the “Peninsular Areas Development Act.”

The MILT is also committed to conducting surveys, such as those for collecting information necessary to enforce the Peninsular Areas Development Act, and empirical surveys with regard to efforts directed at regional revitalization within the peninsular areas and implementing model survey projects as for industrial development and other activities involving collaboration among various entities. On March 31, 2015, amendments to the Act that stretch its date of expiration and made enhancements to its content came into effect as a law-maker initiated legislation to proceed further with peninsular areas development.