## 3 Countermeasures for Railway Noise

In terms of the noise control for Shinkansen bullet trains, countermeasures for noise are being taken, such as the installation of sound barriers, the raising of track level, etc. For the construction of new railways for Shinkansen bullet trains, for regions where the measures mentioned are difficult to implement, Japan is providing financial aid for sound insulation work in already existence housing.

As for noise control measures for existing lines, each railway company is instructed to lower noise levels below a fixed value when constructing new railways and renovating already existing railways, more than previously in large-scale improvement projects, based on the “Guidelines for Noise Abatement Measures in the Construction of New Lines and Large-scale Improvement of Conventional Railways.”

## 4 Countermeasures for urban heat islands

Heat island effect refers to the phenomenon where a metropolitan area is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas. Though the global temperature has only elevated around 0.7°C in the last century, Japanese metropolitan areas have seen elevations of around 2 to 3°C, indicating the significant progression in heat island phenomena compared to the global warming trends. The main cause of this phenomenon is said to be increases in artificial heat from air-conditioning, the reduction of greenery and water surface, and the modification of land surface by urban development.

In order to promote comprehensive and effective countermeasures against urban heat islands, Japan is administering improvements to the “Heat Island Monitoring Network”, a collection of specific measures systematically compiled in 2013 by relevant ministries and agencies. Improvements included the addition of the four objectives for promoting policies to alleviate health effects on people: reducing artificial heat emission, improving land surfaces, urban morphology, and lifestyle. The MLIT focuses on promoting policies for the swift acquisition of greenery and open spaces.

## 5 Countermeasures for sick building syndrome and soil contamination

## (1) Countermeasures for sick building syndrome

Sick building syndrome describes a situation where materials used in the interior of a building disperses chemical substances which are hazardous to health. Japan is taking measures such as regulations on building materials and ventilation in the “Building Standard Act”, and formulating performance labelling systems based on the “Housing Quality Assurance Act”.

In the maintenance of government facilities, Japan has implemented restrictions over the usage of building materials containing chemical substances, as well as measuring the indoor concentration of airborne chemical contaminants after completing construction.

## (2) Countermeasures against issues related to dioxins

Studies over the water and earth quality of class A river systems throughout Japan are being conducted for dioxins specified in the “Act on Special Measures concerning Countermeasures against Dioxins”. In FY2013, the sediment of all locations and the water quality of 97% (215 locations out of 221) of the locations satisfied environmental standards.

For rivers and harbors where sludge containing dioxin levels exceeding environmental standards were found, basic concepts over measures for rivers and harbors were integrated, and measures are being implemented based on the “Manual for countermeasures against contaminated sediment with dioxins encountered in harbors (revised edition)” and the “Manual for countermeasures against sediment with dioxins encountered in rivers and lakes”, which were revised in April