Japan - National Report Strategic Direction Session ST2: Roads and quality of life

This paper deals with road improvements implemented in Japan up to now, road-related issues such as traffic congestion, environmental conservation and traffic accidents, the road policies to be embodied in the next 5-year road improvement program starting in 2003, and an evaluation system for Japan's road administration. Firstly, the full-scale improvement of the nation's road network started in 1954 when the first road improvement program was launched, and has continued to date. The implementation of the program has enabled the trunk road network consisting expressways, national roads and prefectural roads to be developed to a certain level to link key cities across the country, and the network has played a key role in carrying passenger and freight traffic generated by socioeconomic activities. On the other hand, the road improvements have produced negative impacts such as traffic congestion, environmental degradation, traffic accidents and poor roadscape. Various measures have been taken to resolve these road-related issues, but they are still serious. Secondly, Japan's road policies are treated by making reference to the next 5-year road improvement program which is currently in the process of formulation. The following four policy goals are set up for the program: i) restoring economic vitality through urban renewal and community cooperation; ii) enhancing life quality of the people; iii) ensuring safe and secure lives; and iv) achieving environmental conservation. Further, the paper refers to proposed drastic reforms in the road administration system to achieve the four policy goals, and discusses various reforms to be introduced such as outcome-oriented project evaluation system, effective utilization of the existing road network, diverse pricing systems for toll roads, enhancement of project transparency and accountability. Finally, the evaluation system for the road administration is discussed in depth. The discussions cover measures and projects related to roads, expertise used for the evaluation, and the way of performing it. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135448