Japanese cities suffer from traffic congestion like many other cities in the world. The expressways and roads in and around metropolitan areas are often congested and traffic is backed up. In 1995, there were over 760,000 traffic accidents in which over 10,000 people were killed and over 920,000 were injured. Chronic traffic congestion clogs a city street. One of the major problems car owners face is finding a place to park.
Parking spaces come at a premium in the major cities in Japan.
Before a Japanese person can purchase a car, he must establish that he has a parking place to park the car when he is at home. Often Japanese living in the cities must rent a space to park their cars. Commuters often need to find their own parking space when they drive to work near their office. Many companies in the cities cannot provide their employees with adequate parking spaces. Nor do they pay for the mileage and for the parking fees.