increase compared to 2010 before the earthquake. However, if we look at the total number of overnight guests that stayed at facilities that are mainly for tourists Note, the number has decreased by 19.0% compared to 2010, showing that the major scars left by the earthquake disaster is preventing the national economic boom from reaching these areas.

## Section 5

## Ensuring the Smooth Execution of Reconstruction Projects

The restoration/reconstruction projects for the disaster areas are moving forward steadily and the home rebuilding/town reconstruction is basically progressing according to the “Residence Recovery Construction Time Table”.

Although there have been some slumps and failures in bidding—mainly for construction projects with difficult conditions—by using ingenuity when re-commissioning, such as reviewing the planned price to reflect the actual condition of the market and commissioning on an appropriate scale, most projects have reached the point of getting a contract.

MLIT has been taking necessary measures to assist the smooth execution of reconstruction projects by cooperating with the institutions concerned and related industries in “Restoration Acceleration Meetings” (held 5 times since March 2013) and the “Council to Secure Execution of Reconstruction Projects” (held 8 times since December 2011). In these meetings, in order to set planned prices to reflect the current market price, the design work unit value for public works was pulled up to approximately 21% in April 2013, approximately 8% in February 2014, and approximately 6% in February 2015 for the three disaster-stricken prefectures. We also introduced the reconstruction coefficient related to the reconstruction productivity data based on the actual work conditions of the disaster affected areas and the indirect construction costs, and built public concrete plants financed by the country and/or prefecture.

Furthermore, as work on disaster public housing and the public building construction such as schools, governmental buildings and hospitals gets well underway with the progress in reconstruction, in order to reflect the current market price and the conditions of the construction sites in the planned price, the MLIT is moving forward with measures for smooth execution of reconstruction projects, such as raising the standard construction price of public disaster housing and promoting the use of the “cost management method”, as well as providing thorough responses to the individual consultations at the public construction consultation service.

## Column Public Construction Inquiry Desk

The Government Buildings Department, Regional Development Bureau Maintenance Department and Maintenance Office of the Government Buildings Department has set up a consultation service to respond to a variety of opinions/questions related to government buildings maintenance, starting with measures for public construction bidding slumps/failure, building maintenance operations and various standards. As a part of the consultant function of the government maintenance administration, this service is providing various types of information making use of the know-how developed while maintaining governmental facilities.

In FY2014, as a part of the smooth execution of construction measures and the measures to extend the life of infrastructures, we have proactively responded to questions such as how to set an appropriate planning price, quantity survey related queries, and conservation related consultations, along with other questions that have come in related to design, construction management and bid contract processes.

Over half of the consultations are from local governments, and concrete results are being achieved, such as hospitals, government building and schools that had been struggling with bidding slump/failure for construction projects being able to reach successful acceptance of bids.

Inquiries to the consultation service can be made by using information found in “Public Construction Consultation Service” listing on MLIT’s website to directly contact the various District Development Bureau’s Maintenance Office, or by emailing eizen@mlit.go.jp.

Note

Facilities mainly for tourists refers to facilities that answered that over 50% of all their overnight guests stay there for tourism purposes.