## Section 2 Promoting sustainable, vigorous development of the national land and regions

In addition to population decrease, declining birthrate, aging population, fiscal constraints, and intensified international competitions, Japan is facing energy constraints precipitated by both the earthquake disaster and global environment issues. In order to build the bright future of our nation by overcoming these issues, it is essential to promote the development of sustainable and vibrant national land and regions. As the basic policy for that, “The 4 values to achieve and 8 new directions of policy development” were prepared in November 2011. Making the most of its on-site capabilities, integration power and instantaneous response capabilities MLIT has, we have been developing the measures that are extensive vertically (from on-site operations to System), laterally (field diversity) and outwardly (coordination with other ministries and agencies).

Chart. 196 The 4 values to achieve and 8 new directions of policy development

Values to achieve	New directions of policy development	Specific example
I Realization of sustainable society	1 Construction of low-carbon and recycling-oriented society
2 Enhancement and intensification of regional life and economic functions	Energy creation, storage and saving, storage battery
Bringing “medical care, employment and housing” closer
each other in terms of both distance and time
II Ensuring of security and safety	3 Disaster-resistant housing and regional development
4 Proper maintenance, control, and renewal of infrastructure	Earthquake resistance improvement, development of crisis management system
Fact finding, life extension, total cost reduction
III Economic vitalization	5 Expansion of demand by utilizing personal assets, etc.
6 Taking private sector funds and knowledge into public sector	Revitalization of real estate, tourism, and airline markets
Promotion of PPP/ PFI
IV Enhancement of international competitiveness and presence	7 Overseas development of Japan’s fields of expertise, and international contributions
8 Promotion of infrastructure development for international competition	Cross-cutting export of hardware and software infrastructure
Metropolitan loop road, strategic international port, metropolitan hub airport, ocean frontier

In this public awareness survey, the top answer to the question on things regarded important in building sustainable national land and regions was “building of disaster-resistant houses and regions” (53.5%), followed by “regional intensification” (42.3%) and “global warming countermeasures” (40.0%).

Reaffirming the most important mission of infrastructure development “to protect people’s safety and security”, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is also making efforts to “build the sustainable and vibrant national land and regions” that addresses also the energy constraint issue, etc. precipitated by the earthquake disaster.

### Chart. 197 Things you think important in building sustainable national land and regions

## (The Bill for the Promotion of Low-Carbon Cities)

Based on the changing energy supply and demand and higher public awareness on energy and global warming that have been precipitated by the earthquake disaster, it has become important to revitalize the housing market and regional economy through the promotion of private investment in urbanization promotion area, etc. For this we will promote the spread of low-carbon cities and transportations and rational energy use by accumulating success examples thereof. Against this backdrop, the MLIT submitted “The Bill for the Promotion of Low-Carbon Cities” to the 180 $ ^{th} $ Session of the National Diet in February 2012. Major contents of the Bill are as follows:

1) Intensification of urban functions, promotion of public transportations, etc.

In Japan today, in spite of the trend of population decrease, we see also the situation such that cities are sparsely scattering. Especially in regional cities, the rate of dependence on private vehicles is increasing, while the use and the level of service of public transportations including bus have been declining further. Such state like this causes inconvenience to people who cannot use private vehicles. Considering the further progress of aging of the population in future, measures such as intensification of urban functions and promotion of the use of public transportation are urgently required.

In this Bill, the MLIT will promote the building of towns and cities aiming to convert them into urban structure that would not excessively depend on private vehicles. Specifically the MLIT plan to create a system where the intensified urban development business (business of intensified urban functions by private sector) will be authorized by the head of each municipality, and another system where business of establishing new bus routes, constructing railway stations, etc., which contributing to promote the use of public transportations, will be authorized.