ITS Japan News: Japanese Government Launches New IT Strategy

On May 11, 2010, Japan's IT Strategic Headquarters met to decide the "new IT Strategy," a description of the country's short-term targets up to FY2013 and long-term targets up to FY2020.

The Japanese government has promoted ITS through several policies. One of them is the "New IT Reform Strategy" released in 2006, which utilizies the practical application of safety driving support systems to achieve "the world's safest road traffic environment." In addition, the "i-Japan Strategy 2015" includes the goals of decreasing traffic congestion, improving logistic efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions.

The new IT Strategy formulated under the administration of the Democratic Party of Japan consists of three main points:

1. Realization of E-Government service;
2. Re-bonding local communities; and
3. Creation of new market and international expansion

ITS is encouraged in the second point by introducing and deploying safety driving support systems to revitalize local communities. It is also addressed in the third point by decreasing traffic congestion on main roads by 50 percent in Japan by FY2020 compared to those of FY2010 through ITS technologies.

The strategy also promotes "Green Mobility," combining smart grid technologies with transport systems such as electric vehicles. The green mobility plan includes restraining fossil fuel use by disseminating next generation vehicles. In the short term, it will also smooth traffic flow by utilizing a vehicle probe system, improving logistic efficiency, and boosting the use rate of public transportation systems.

Plans to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions are promoted under a national project called "Six Pioneering Projects for Accelerating Technology Transfer to the Society" led by the Cabinet Office.

In terms of safety, the government set a new target to decrease the number of traffic fatalities to less than 2,500 by FY2018.

The ITS Strategic Headquarters is also planning to prepare a road map with a specific work schedule for implementation.

For more information, visit ITS Japan's website at http://www.its-jp.org/english/.