In addition, in order to push ahead with these initiatives, the Fourth Priority Plan for Social Infrastructure Development adopted by a Cabinet decision in September 2015 set the strategic maintenance and renewal of social overhead capital as one of the priority goals, focusing on measures against aging infrastructures, such as by setting target indicators that include the ratio of life extension programs (individual facility plans) for individual facilities (100% within FY 2020).

In December 2015, the first follow-up was conducted on the Action Plans in order to see the progress of measures against aging infrastructure based on the Action Plans. The MLIT will continue to work on the measures against aging infrastructure in a focused and systematic manner so that required infrastructures will be sustainably maintained.

## (2) Development and Expansion of the Maintenance Industry

Based on the report “Recommendations on Maintaining, Managing and Renewing Social Infrastructures” compiled in December 2013, in FY 2014, the Social Infrastructures Maintenance Strategy Subcommittee under the Infrastructure Development Council and the Trafic Policy Council investigated and deliberated matters that require continued discussions for the development of specific measures, and compiled recommendations on future directions concerning:

1. Establishment of a qualification system for inspections and diagnoses

2. Framework for conducting maintenance and management smoothly and measures for supporting local governments

3. Sharing and visualizing information pertaining to maintenance, management and renewal

In regard to the establishment of a qualification system for inspections and diagnoses, a system for registering private qualifications was introduced by announcing the Regulations on Registration of Qualifications of Technicians that Contribute to Ensuring the Quality of Investigations and Designs Concerning Public Works, which set forth required knowledge and skills according to job descriptions in November 2014, and the registered qualifications on inspections, diagnoses and the like have been used since the ordering activity of FY 2015. In addition, the Regulations were revised in October 2015 so that planning, investigation, and design activities in the building and remodeling areas, to which maintenance is complementary, are included within the scope of the registration system.

In regard to a framework for conducting maintenance and management smoothly and measures for supporting local governments, we are having specific discussions in cooperation with local governments on the methods of outsourcing maintenance and management works of multiple areas and facilities to the private sector comprehensively in order to leverage technologies and expertise as well as economics of scale of private sector companies for efficient maintenance and management.

In regard to sharing and visualizing of information pertaining to maintenance, management and renewal, among information on maintenance and renewal, especially important information will be made visible in the first five years in which soundness of many facilities will become clear after finishing the first round of facility inspections that based on the new standards in each field starting in FY 2013.

Also, in order to facilitate the development and revitalization of the infrastructures maintenance industry, we started examination by holding information exchange meetings toward the establishment of the Japan Infrastructure Management Council (tentative name) in FY 2016, which will serve as the platform for the unified efforts of government, industry and academia.

We will work on the development and revitalization of the maintenance industry and local industrialization through the above measures.