harmony of livelihood and living (work-life balance), and ensuring business continuity during disasters and other events among other benefits.

The “Declaration to be the World’s Most Advanced IT Nation” decided by Cabinet on June 14, 2013, states, “To these ends, government will collaborate with industry to support employment models for teleworking from home that allow workers to spend at least one full workday per week at home targeting women engaged in child raising, who find it particularly difficult to continue working, as well as men participating in childcare, and caregivers. The target is full development and widespread adoption of such models by 2016 to encourage greater social participation by women, secure labor during a time of low birth rates and an again population, support greater participation by men in childcare, and achieve balance between work and care giving” and teleworking will be promoted even more through initiatives.

Relevant ministries and agencies are coordinating to promote the further adoption of teleworking through initiatives such as creating a facilitating environment and raising awareness in the belief that teleworking will create employment opportunities for people seeking alternative working arrangements and also vitalize regions among other effects.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism evaluated policies (Promotion Teleworking) to realize diverse working arrangements that contribute to benefits including the assessment of the current situation of teleworking, quantitative assessment of the current teleworking population, productivity improvements through increased work efficiency and high value-added, strengthening of international competitiveness, and the improvement of business continuity in times of disaster.

## (2) Creating a Relaxed and Safe Environment for Children to Grow

To ensure the safety and comfort of children and other park users, various facility administrators are made aware of “Guidelines Regarding Safety Requirements for Playground Equipment at Urban Parks (Revised)” and “Pool Safety Standards Guidelines” and programs such as the Social Capital Development Integrated Grant provide focused support to local governments for safety and comfort measures of park facilities.

## 3 Ageing Society Measures

(1) Creating a Living Environment for the Elderly to Live Comfortably

The Silver Housing Project provides a package including the supply of public housing and other accessible facilities, life support advisors to counsel daily living needs, and emergency response services and as of 2012 is implemented at 891 housing projects (23,813 housing units).

Also, promotion projects for the stabilization of elderly housing support include the development of serviced housing for seniors, pioneering living and town planning measures for the elderly as well as redeveloping public rental housing projects as the center of regional welfare among other measures. In addition to this public rental housing being utilized to support coordination with group homes $ ^{Note 1} $ , welfare, caring, and other services.

## (2) Providing Transport Services that Meet the Needs of an Ageing Society

In order to respond to the demand for the transportation disadvantaged such as the elderly and disabled to use hospitals and other care facilities, the implementation of welfare taxis $ {Note^{2}} $ is being promoted and as of the end of fiscal year 2012, 16,025 vehicles are being operated. Also, the Investment Subsidy to Ensure the Procurement, Maintenance and Improvement Regional Public Transportation is being utilized to support the implementation of welfare taxis needed in regional areas and from fiscal year 2012, universal design taxis that are easy for the elderly and various people are granted preferential measures regarding motor vehicle tonnage tax and vehicle excise tax if the vehicle meets standard specifications and is certified by government. Also, under the revised “Road Transportation Act”, to ensure transportation means necessary for the daily living of regional residents, if services by bus or taxi companies are deemed difficult to provide and the parties of the regional residents agree to the need for private fee-based passenger transport, prefectural governments can operate prefectural fee-based transport or NPOs and other organizations can provide fee-based welfare transport or