administration and user convenience.

## (v) Enhancing functionalities of international ports

The MLIT not only develops international physical distribution terminals, etc. in the international maritime transport network or at regional hub ports for consolidated competitiveness, etc. of local key industries but also pushes efforts directed at ehnacing the functionalities of these ports, as by pushing their migration to ICT. To address increasingly sophisticated and diversified needs for East Asian logistics, which is not much different from domestic logistics in both terms of time and distance and build a low-cost logistics system, the Ministry pushes ahead with functional enhancements to unit loading terminals $ \underline{Note} $ and with the construction of facilities designed to smooth the flow of cargo transshipment.

## (vi) Developing a marine transportation environment

Among all international backbone routes, those that could interfere with bay navigation because of shallow waters, etc. have been improved and Aids to Navigation have been established to develop a marine transportation environment that combines the safety of navigation with the efficiency of marine transportation.

Also, with the aim of evacuating ships promptly and smoothly to safe sea areas at times of tsunami and other disasters and mitigating congestion in peacetime to realize safe and efficient operation of ships, the Japan Coast Guard is working to consolidate the Tokyo Bay Vessel Traffic Service center and port traffic control offices and develop a system for implementing these operations in a integrated manner. In conjunction with the operation, we are working on necessary revisions of systems to maintain maritime traffic functions at times of disasters.

## (3) Developing advanced aviation logistics facilities to pursue increased international competitiveness

The MLIT pushes efforts to consolidate the functionalities of the metropolitan airports, drive an airfreight hub implementation of Japan’s hub airports, such as Kansai International Airport and Chubu International Airport, and simplify the transportation process flow in its bid to positively capture airfreight originating from and arriving in Asia as it promises further leaps.

## (4) Improving logistics for promoting exports of agricultural and marine products and food products

The exports of agricultural and marine products and food products reached 745.2 billion yen in FY 2015, reviewing the record high for two consecutive years. Given that keeping the quality and enhancing cost competitiveness of agricultural and marine products and food products are key to expand their exports. Furthermore, we are pushing forward efforts to increasing the sophistication and efficiency of logistics, such as spreading and promoting technologies and devices for preventing those products from perishing during transportation and keeping them fresh and expanding transportation of large-volume shipments by combining different items of cargos.

## (5) Strategic development and utilization of a logistically important road network

Building an efficient logistics network is of crucial importance to motor-truck transportation, which accounts for about 80% of domestic transportation. Because of this, the construction of ring roads in the three major metropolitan areas, access roads to airports and ports is underway. In October 2014, “road network for vehicles exceeding the weight and size limits” were separately designated among these roads to simplify the procedural routine for issuing passage permits for those large-sized vehicles using roads in these sections. This is aimed at sectional enhancement by designation of last-on-mile sections to logistics bases and systematic elimination of impassable sections. In addition, we are steadily pushing forward with “smart logistics management” utilizing information technology, such as simplification of the special vehicle passage permit for vehicles with ETC 2.0 and demonstration experiment of operation management support services for ETC 2.0 vehicles. Efforts are also underway to utilize and upgrade existing road networks, including the construction of smart ICs.