# Promoting Regional Revitalization

## Section 1 Approaches to Regional Revitalization

The government recognizes regional revitalization as a key issue and pursues a policy of achieving regional revitalization from cross-ministerial and cross-measure perspectives under a scheme of integrated governance (Integrated Headquarters for Regional Revitalization).

As part of this effort, a third international forum was held in Kitakyushu City in October 2013 to publicize the “Environmental Future City” initiative to the world.

According to the comprehensive special zone program, 48 special zones have been specified and deliberations on exceptions to the governing regulations to help these special zones fulfill their own endeavors are in progress. Under the special structural reform zone program, preferential deregulation measures tailored to regional characteristics, such as an easing of use categorizations in reclaimed land in public waters. Under the regional revitalization program, financial and banking aids have been extended to the voluntary, self-reliant efforts being made by local governments to provide an integrated, effective impetus to the goals of rejuvenating local economies, creating job opportunities locally and so on. The selection of additional “Environmental Model Cities” for the 3rd time has also been commenced to proceed with the goal of low-carbon city development.

Because more of the local residents’ voices need to be heeded in promoting the endeavors for regional revitalization, the governmental system of consultation has been molded into a one-stop sequence to follow up the endeavors for regional renovation in a fully integrated flow for each regional block.

The MLIT promotes the implementation of comprehensive and strategic transport policies, such as revitalizing and renovating the means of regional public transport, such as local railroads, buses and sea routes to remote islands and improving on transport nodes, supports original and ingenious local endeavors, such as revitalizing central urban areas, renovating cities, migrating to an intensive urban structure and promoting tourism and encourages construction industries by promoting contracting at fair prices and supporting the growth of integrated regional industries with a view to realizing a regional economic society offering the ease of living with buoyancy and vitality.

For regions or elsewhere where the population is rapidly shrinking or aged, the Ministry works to help develop a community in which living is made easy from the local residents' standpoints, by supporting the work of community planning activities undertaken by various entities, including NPOs, securing the availability of vital day-to-day living services, such as medical care and shopping, by revitalizing the village functions and consolidating the means of daily regional transport by supporting the introduction of community bus services.

Regarding the issues of urban reconstruction, the MLIT pursues to:

a. Promote urban reconstruction projects, as by developing international airports and disaster prevention centers;

b. Promote urban development by private sectors pursuant to the “Act on Special Measures concerning Urban Reconstruction”; and

c. Promote nationwide urban reconstruction based on the urban reconstruction and development plans, etc. prepared by municipalities.

## Section 2 Promoting Measures Supporting Regional Revitalization

## Efforts Directed at Augment Regional and Private Self-reliance and Discretion

(1) Expanding and improving on administration on various subsidies

The “Regional Renovation Infrastructures Reinforcement Subsidies” are a cross-ministerial package of subsidies that