Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
Figure 2-3-1

Opinions Regarding Social Infrastructures and the Responsibilities For Future Generations

(Note) Question: What do you think the future generation should do with regards to the social capital development? “Development” includes new constructions, renewal, maintenance and management of the existing social capitals. Source) Nomura Research Institute (NRI) “Public Awareness Survey on the impact of dwindling population on the social infrastructures, 2008”

However, opinions regarding upgrades for social infrastructure is affected by how the current condition of social infrastructure is understood. If we look at the trends in results by how the person answered the question regarding their understanding of the current condition of social infrastructure, the more the concerned the person felt about the condition of social infrastructures, the more they thought it necessary to upgrade all social infrastructures, while those who were more optimistic about the condition of social infrastructures tended to not find it necessary to upgrade social infrastructures (Figure 2-3-3). From these results, we can see that, though more people think that it would be difficult to upgrade all social infrastructures, people who are very aware of problems that can result from aging social infrastructures understand the necessity for upgrading social infrastructures.

## Attitudes Concerning Renewal of Infrastructure and the Associated Cost

“In order to renew all the deteriorated social infrastructures, it may be expected that the financial burden for the citizens would increase. Regarding this financial burden, please select the best answer that best approximates your opinion.”

Source) MLIT "Public Awareness Survey"

Figure 2-3-3

The Level of Anxiety Felt about the Current Condition of Social Infrastructures, and Inclination Towards the Upgrading of Social Infrastructures, Bearing in Mind the Future Strain

Even if the cost increased, the upgrading of all the facilities should be swiftly executed.

The upgrading should be done gradually, starting from the facilities with the highest priority after considering the importance of each facility, and eventually upgrading all the facilities.

If the cost is going to increase, then not all the facilities need to be upgraded.

Other

I do not know.

(Note) Cross tabulation of the answers to “At present, do you feel anxious about any of the social infrastructures that you use?” and to “In order to upgrade the deteriorated social infrastructures, it may be expected that the financial burden for the citizens would increase. Regarding this financial burden, please select the best answer that best approximates your opinion.”

Source) MLIT “Public Awareness Survey”
Of course, even in cases where an infrastructure is necessarily reduced, we must move forward in a planned manner to make sure residents of the region at the very least benefit from necessary functions such as convenience in daily life, safety, and security; many people consider this a desirable direction in which to proceed (Figure 2-3-7). More specifically, not all social infrastructures are equally amenable to possible removal or reduction. Most notably, many people responded that it would be inappropriate to abolish or remove social infrastructures like disaster prevention and national land infrastructure that protect the lives of citizens (Figure 2-3-8). If we look at the results of a questionnaire survey conducted by Fuchu City, many people think that the ‘Hakomono (secondary)’ public facilities (i.e., facilities for culture, education, and sports) are more suitable for implementing consolidation and streamlining, rather than civil engineering infrastructures (i.e., roads, bridges, parks, sewage) (Figure 2-3-9). As evident, it will be very important—in terms of consolidating and streamlining social infrastructures—that we carefully consider how to implement changes in accordance with the purposes and category of the social infrastructures, so that, as much as possible, we avoid reducing the utility of the infrastructure for residents.

Figure 2-3-7 Things to Be Seriously Considered in Reassessing Public Facilities (As Consequence)

Due to declining population or downturn of the financial situation, if the local social infrastructures and other public facilities have to be reduced or reorganized, what would you consider to be the most important point? Please pick the best answer that approximates your thinking.
The UAV system being used for consideration is the one developed by the Canadian company, Aeryon Labs Inc, and can be operated by merely entering the flight route, altitude, and photographing points into a specialized operator tablet. Once the machine takes off, it will fly itself to the destination, and take video and still images required automatically.

In addition, since it is able to save flight routes once it has been inputted, it can fly the same route it had flown previously, even if a different operator is steering. For inspection operations, being able to secure reproducibility that is not affected by a dependency is a major advantage. Furthermore, the fact that no specialized skills are required for conducting flights as the operations are simple, is also a feature of the UAV system (Figure 2-3-30).

In FY2013, in Shibukawa City, Gunma, they are considering the use of an existing cameras, with the aim to check things like the exploration range and access distance to the bottom surface of plate decks and the underside of beams on the Kanetsu Expressway and Tonegawa River. They plan to continue with their deliberations with the goal to start earlier than expected on actual operations.

At the moment, their main concern is utilization for the inspection of bridges, but as they are hoping in the future to be able to use the cameras for other things like during heavy traffic times and for disaster investigations, they are planning to take the trials further.

In another sector, in recent years, another technology that is being developed and used as an advanced inspection technology for infrastructure, is the non-destructive inspection technology. Previously, in order to find out the deterioration condition of the internal structure, we had to damage parts of the structure every time we had to do an inspection. For example, we had to use a drill to collect samples of concrete structures, or to investigate for fractures in reinforcement bars that were underneath the concrete surface, we would need to chip parts away $ ^{68} $ to expose the reinforcement bar for inspection. In addition, there were difficulties in actual inspection operations, like having to restrict traffic for inspections, or having places that were difficult for people to reach for inspections. Non-destructive inspection technology refers to the use of infrared, lasers, or electromagnetic waves to do inspections and diagnostics of a structure’s surface or internal condition. By using this kind of technology, we can expect to improve the efficiency and quality of inspections and diagnostics.

Source) East Nippon Expressway Company

Source) East Nippon Expressway Company

Source) East Nippon Expressway Company
## (5) Driving projects for creating futures of waterside and community

Efforts have been driven by local residents, businesses and administrative authorities in accord to brew attractive waterside spaces that combine beauty with stateliness and thus to conserve and create buoyant, animated natural landscapes, etc. In Tokyo in particular, associated endeavors will be promoted alongside the Sumida River and elsewhere in timing for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2020.

Effort to enhance motivation using a logo

## Japan’s First Cruise Train “Seven Stars in Kyushu” Just in Service

“Seven Stars in Kyushu” is a cruise train that has been in service since October 15, 2013. The lure of travel aboard of Japan’s first luxury cruise sleeper train lies in the cars in which the mind and expertise of craftsmanship are unified, cuisine and hospitality packed with considerateness and care and then communication with the train crew – all derived from the regional affluence of Kyushu. “Seven” in the train name purportedly signifies the seven prefectures of Kyushu, seven principal tourism attractions in Kyushu (nature, food, spas, history and culture, power spots, human empathy and train) and the “seven-car coach.”

The eight-car is furnished with seven passenger cars and one engine, with a total of 14 rooms and a maximum passenger capacity of 30. The interiors of the train are decorated with wood and fabric (cloths, textiles) in various designs to create a most superior sophisticated spatial merger of things Japanese and Western and old and new.

Two courses are selectable: thee-night-and-four-day, which tours the five prefectures of Fukuoka, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Kumamoto, and one-night-and-two-day, which covers the northern part of Kyushu, or Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto and Oita. The thee-night-and-four-day course offers lodging outside the train in the Kirishima Spa Resort.

The

one-night-and-two-day

course, slated for service from August to November 2014, sells for 180,000 to 525,000 yen as of December 2013, when compared with 430,000 yen to 1,250,000 yen for the three-night-and-four-day course. Despite its pricings that possibly target wealthy travelers, the Seven Stars in Kyushu cruise train enjoys exceptional popularity as subscriptions nine times greater than the number of available seats have been received.

The launch of “Seven Stars in Kyushu” has grabbed numerous tourists from both at home and abroad, with impetus gained from the opening of services on the entire Kyushu Shinkansen Line in March 2011. A greater number of tourists are expected to visit Kyushu more for “riding and viewing” than simply local sightseeing.

Cruise Train “Seven Stars in Kyushu” website http://www.cruisetrain-sevenstars.jp/

Source) Kyushu Railway Company
### b. Chartered bus business

Since deregulation in February 2000, the chartered bus business has sponsored low-cost, diversified bus tours in its effort to deliver better user services, but competition is stiffening with increase in the population of operators in play. Further, as group tours continue to get downsized and travel goods are lower-priced, transportation revenues have been declining. In addition, upsurges in the fuel charges continue to toughen the business climate surrounding the chartered bus business.

On the basis of the discussions at the Review Panel on the Future of the Bus Service that met in the wake of the April 2012 Kanetsu Expressway rapid tour bus

Figure II-6-3-2 Changes in the Number of Chartered Bus Operators, Number of Passengers Carried, Number of Vehicles and Operating Revenues

accident, the Rapid and Chartered Bus Safety and Confidence Recovery Plan was worked out to carry on two-year efforts intended to add to the safety of rapid and chartered buses in FY2013 and FY2014.

### c. Taxi business

The taxi business is faced with a deteriorating revenue base, worsening driver working conditions and along with other problems in some areas due to increases in the fleet of taxi vehicles while the demand follows a long-term path of reduction, making it difficult for the taxi business to fully demonstrate its utilities of regional public transportation. The Act on Special Measures Concerning the Normalization and Reactivation of the General Passenger Transport Business in Special Regions was enroced in October 2009. A little more than four years on, the legislation offered certain effects, such as drivers' wages turning for the better, but the problems of oversupplies of taxes in many regions remain yet to be resolved.

On November 2, 2013, the Act for Making Partial Amendments to the Act on Special Measures Concerning the Normalization and Reactivation of the General Passenger Transport Business in Special Regions was approved in the 185th extraordinary Diet session as a lawmaker-initiated legislation focusing on a scheme of elevating the levels of taxi service quality by effectively resolving the problems of oversupplies of taxes in certain regions, toughening driver qualifications and so on.
The Act came into effect at the end of January 2014. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport contemplates to come up with an early solution to the problems of oversupplies of taxes and to enhance the quality of service and safety by applying the Act properly in accordance with the purport of the lawmaker-initiated legislation pusaunt to various standards that have been established on the basis of additional resolutions passed at both Houses, as well as the provisions of the Act.

## (2) Replacement driver service

The replacement driver service is expected as a workaround means of transport for drinkers. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is driving the implementation of measures aimed at normalizing the replacement driver service and add to users convenience and ease of mind. As of the end of December 2012, a total of 8,848 replacement service driver service operators are accredited and in service.

## (3) Motor truck transport business

The number of motor truck carriers had been on the rise for long, but the number of newcomers and that of retirees have equaled since 2008, with the number of carriers moving crabwise at about 63,000.

While the management climate in which the carriers are placed continues increasingly hostile under the influence of the light oil price and others, various countermeasures are in progress, including encouraging the introduction of fuel surcharges to pass on light oil price hikes to the freight charges and saving energy requirements in motor truck transportation to back up the carriers in their effort to improve fuel efficiency.

On the basis of discussions made at the Workgroup on Measures Relating to the Trucking Industry, various measures have just been taken, including reviews of the entry authorization criteria, updates to the Motor Truck Transport business Transportation Safety Regulatins, formulation of documentation promotion guidelines, toughened enforcement of the freight owner recommendation program and tightened partnership with normalized business implementation bodies, to ensure market integrity and legitimate fare and fee collection while driving measures to keep transportation safe.

## 3 Trends of Maritime Industries and Measures

## (1) Achieving stable marine transportation

### a. Achieving Japanese-flagged vessels and Japanese seafarers

As Japan is a nation with no sufficient natural resources, being surrounded by seas on all its sides, international shipping plays an extremely significant role in an industrial infrastructure or lifeline of vital importance to Japanese economy and national life. It accounts for 99.7% of the nation's trade volume. The Government of Japan has regal jurisdiction over and is responsible for securing Japanese-flagged vessels and seafarers in support of international shipping. Keeping up with a certain number of Japanese-flagged vessels and seafarers at ordinary times is required from a viewpoint of economic security, but both Japanese-flagged vessels and seafarers are on a considerable decline due to losing of its competitiveness.
·25 truncated domes (5 x 5)

·Line shaped protrusion indicating the inside of the platform (boundary line)

## 3 Safety Measures for Maritime Traffic

In the waters around Japan, around 2,500 vessels are involved in ship accidents every year. Once a ship accident occurs, not only are precious lives and property lost but Japan’s economic activities and marine environment may be adversely affected in a major way requiring the promotion of further safety measures.

## (1) Improving Ship Safety and Ensuring Ship Navigation Safety

### a. Improving Ship Safety

Regarding ship safety, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is central in stipulating international standards and in addition to actively participating in IMO discussions, in December 2013, the installation of stability computers was made mandatory in accordance with the amendment of the SOLAS Convention $ {Note\ 1} $ and domestic laws were also revised.

Regarding the breakage accident of the Bahamas-flagged large container ship, MOL COMFORT, that occurred in the Indian Ocean, a committee was convened in June 2013 to evaluate safety measures for large container ships. In December, an interim report was prepared and published on the details of safety measures to be taken for the time being.

Also, to eliminate substandard ships Note $ ^{2} $ , Port State Control (PSC) Note $ ^{3} $ is being implemented.

### b. Ensuring Ship Navigation Safety

In accordance with the “Act on Ships’ Officers and Boats’ Operators” which complies with the STCW Convention $ ^{4} $ , the qualifications for ship personnel are defined to ensure ship navigation safety from human factors. In June 2010, the revised STCW Convention (Manila Amendments) with amendments stipulating additional competencies that ship personnel must possess was adopted and domestic laws are under revision for April 2014. Also, for the pilotage system, qualifications for people who can perform pilotage are defined for the safety of vessel traffic but finding successors is turning out to be challenging, therefore, securing a stable supply of human resources and the provision of necessary incubation training are being promoted.

Investigation and inquiry, in accordance with the “Act on Marine Accident Inquiry”, are conducted for a marine technician, a small craft operator, or a pilot who causes a marine accident intentionally or negligently in the course of duties and in 2013 there were 310 cases of determinations and a total of 402 marine technicians, small craft operators, or pilots were performed disciplinary actions of suspension of business operation (one to two months) or admonition to prevent the occurrence of marine accidents.
(Reference) Summary of the "Expressway and Chartered Bus Safety and Security Recovery Plan"

·Transition and unify expressway tour buses into the new share-ride expressway bus

·Establish shift standards for replacement drivers

·Legally require small to medium operators to submit safety management rules, etc.

·Intensive monitoring and increased penalties for offending operators

·Transition to fares and pricing systems that reflect the safety costs

## (6) Safety Measures for the Land Transportation of International Maritime Containers

In order to enhance the safety of the land transportation of international maritime containers, “Guidelines for the Safe Land Transportation of International Maritime Containers” were compiled and measured based on this will be in effect from August 2013 and the implementation status and other progress will be followed up by the Safety Measures Committee.

## (7) Comprehensive Safety Measures for Automobiles

### a. Safety Measures for Commercial Motor Vehicles

Under the “Commercial Motor Vehicles Comprehensive Safety Plan 2009” which aims to reduce accident fatalities and personal injury accidents by half and completely eliminate driving under the influence in the ten years from 2008 to 2018, more safety measures are being implemented such as expanding the scope of mandatory installment of tachographs in trucks.

### b. Considering Vehicle Safety Measures for the Future

In the Ninth Fundamental Traffic Safety Program (established March 2011), the goal of reducing traffic accident fatalities to less than 3,000 by 2015 was established. For the achievement of this traffic accident reduction goal, the three measures of “expanding, enhancing, and strengthening safety standards, etc.”, the “Advanced Safety Vehicle (ASV) Promotion Plan”, and “vehicle assessment” will be coordinated in a synergistic manner to promote vehicular safety measures.

### c. Expanding and Strengthening Safety Standards

For the attainment of the world’s fastest adoption of fuel cell vehicles with the coming market introduction in 2015, safety standards for fuel cell vehicles were developed. Also, the scope for mandatory equipment of collision avoidance systems on heavy vehicles was expanded and standards were strengthened. Also, to improve the safety of child seats, standards for side impact standards were added to the existing standards for frontal and rear impact.
sustained growth of Japan’s economy. Also, it is anticipated that Japanese technology and expertise will benefit the countries and regions where the projects take place.

## 1 ) Investment

When Japanese companies participate in infrastructure projects abroad, the companies concerned will establish a local business entity to conduct business operations. JOIN will jointly invest in the local business entity with the businesses involved.

## 2 ) Project participation

JOIN will participate in the following projects for the invested local business entities:

· Dispatch executives and engineers to take advantage of Japanese technology and experience.

· Negotiate with partner countries as the investing authority of Japanese government.

## Note 1 Fiscal Investment and Loan Program (Industrial investment):

Investments to strengthen the development of enterprise, strategic international expansion of trade, and the promotion as well as strengthening of international contributions using funds from Japanese government such as the dividends from NTT and JT stocks as capital. Its characteristic is that it provides capital for projects that are highly desirable for policy that can expect a return but the risk is too high to procure required funding from the private sector alone.

Note 2 Fiscal Investment and Loan Program (government guarantee):

When organizations such as policy finance institutions and independent administrative agencies procure funding in the financial market, the government provides a guarantee to help ensure that the funds necessary for the project are procured smoothly and favorably.

## Section 2 Promotion of International Cooperation and Negotiations

## I nitiatives in the Field of Economic Partnerships

## (1) Entering into Economic Partnership Agreements/Free Trade Agreements (EPA/FTA)

Japan intends to strategically promote economic partnerships with the Asia-Pacific region, East Asia region, Europe and others. As of March 2014, there are 13 EPAs/FTAs in effect between various countries and regions. These arrangements will be utilized to strengthen the competitiveness of transport, construction, and other industries as well as promote international expansion; liberalization of the service sector in partner countries such as the abolition or deregulation of foreign capital restrictions; and promote the expansion of participation opportunities related to government procurement.