JITTI Journal November 2022 Back to All JITTI Journals November 2022 Feature Article Japan's Resumption of Accepting Foreigners as a Sign of Recovery from the Coronavirus Pandemic By Tetsuhiro Hagiwara On October 11, 2022, the Japanese government drastically eased border control measures (entry requirements) and reopened visa-free entry to Japan for visitors from 68 countries and regions. In a delay of several months after similar measures were relaxed in Europe, the U.S., and other countries around the world, Japan’s ban preventing foreign travelers entering the country was finally lifted. In Japan, there are daily upbeat news reports such as "foreigners are rushing to Japan because of the weak yen" and "foreign tourists are buying explosively again". In this issue, I would like to focus on the resumption of accepting foreign visitors to Japan, which could be a catalyst for the Japanese economy to finally turn upward after the long, long tunnel of the Coronavirus pandemic. 1. Relaxation of border control measures (entry requirements) by the Japanese government First, let us review the entry requirements into Japan as of the end of October 2022. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website, “After midnight on October 11, 2022 (Japan Standard Time), all returnees and entrants to Japan, with the exception of those with symptoms of suspected infection with the coronavirus, will not, in principle, be subject to inspection upon entry, and will not be required to wait at home or in accommodation after entering Japan, to follow up during the waiting period, or to refrain from using public transportation. In principle, no inspection will be conducted at the time of entry for all returnees and entrants, except for those with symptoms. However, all returnees and entrants shall be required to submit either a certificate of vaccination (3 doses) with a vaccine listed on the World Health Organization's Emergency Use List or a certificate with a negative result of a test taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country.” (Image source: NHK) Since March of this year, when the corona outbreak was under control, the Japanese government has gradually eased restrictions on the entry of foreigners, resuming the admission of tourists in June for group travel only, and in September, raising the daily limit to 50,000. However, due to persistent requests from various quarters for the resumption of individual travel and visa-free visits to Japan, the situation has finally returned to a level close to what it was before the Coronavirus pandemic. As a result, the cap of 50,000 daily visitors has been lifted, individual travelers are now accepted, and those entering Japan for tourism purposes from outside the country are exempted from obtaining the short-stay visas that they were seeking, bringing them in line with the entry requirements of Europe, the U.S., and other countries around the world. In comparison to before the Coronavirus pandemic, a certificate with a negative test result within 72 hours of travel is still required for "those who have not received three doses of the vaccine." However, considering the fact that approximately 70% of the world's population has been vaccinated at least once, it can be said that the hurdle has been lowered considerably for travelers planning to visit Japan. The Japanese government has stated that it will continue to require all visitors returning to or entering Japan to present a certificate of three vaccinations or a negative PCR test result within 72 hours prior to departure from Japan. The U.S. and Japan are the only G7 countries that have introduced this measure, and both governments will consider easing the measure after assessing the state of infections domestically and overseas, and the response of other countries. At a post-cabinet press conference on October 18, Digital Minister Taro Kono announced that “Visit Japan Web,” a web-based support site that enables foreign tourists visiting Japan and Japanese nationals returning from overseas to complete quarantine, customs, and other procedures necessary for entry into Japan online, will be integrated with the “MY (My SOS)” (Confirmation of the Health and Whereabouts of the Swine Flu) function, which allows registration of vaccination certificates and negative testimonies for entry requirements against new-coronavirus infection, on November 1. (As part of efforts to unify online pre-entry procedures, MY SOS will cease to be offered on November 14). Some of the information entered so far is common information, such as passport details and date of return, and the integration will reduce the number of times for entering that information and improve convenience. At the press conference, Minister Kono said, "The Visit Japan Web will allow you to complete the necessary (web-based) procedures for entry into Japan. We want to make sure that you enter all the necessary information before you arrive so that you can pass smoothly through the airport". 2. Foreign visitors to Japan enjoying "Cool Japan" and "Cheap Japan” Now, as mentioned above, the hurdle for foreigners to visit Japan has finally been lowered. In Japan, it is reported every day that the number of foreign tourists is increasing in popular tourist destinations such as Tokyo and Osaka. Increasing number of foreign tourists in various places, including tourist destinations "Many foreign tourists in various locations" （Image source: ANN NEWS) Foreign tourists touring Tokyo A woman from Chile- "I really wanted to come to Japan. I feel like I have fulfilled my dream." (Image source: ANN NEWS） Tourists from Denmark listening to a guide in front of Sensoji Temple Regarding the wearing of masks, "The travel agency explained to us in advance that they require strict adherence to the rules for wearing masks in Japan, and we agreed with them before coming on the trip," they said.（Image source: NEWS Post Seven） Some enjoy shopping with the weak yen A couple from Israel Compared to other countries, Japan is cheap and we are very happy." （Image source: ANN NEWS) Foreign man shopping for anime goods in Akihabara “I'm happy with affordable prices because of the weak yen!” （Image source: Nippon Television Network NEWS） 3. Japanese government's intention to aim for 5 trillion yen in tourism consumption per year and expectations from the economic community I would like to share the Japanese government's expectations for inbound consumption and the industry's reaction to the recent significant easing of entry requirements. Before the Coronavirus pandemic, a record 31.88 million foreign travelers visited Japan in 2019. Inbound spending amounted to approximately 4.8 trillion yen annually, bringing significant economic benefits to the metropolitan area and tourist destinations. However, from the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the Japanese government began gradually strengthening its border control measures, and the number of inbound visitors to Japan plummeted to 4.11 million in 2020 and 240,000 in 2021, with the tourism industry still suffering a major blow. Japan continues to have the strictest entry restrictions among the G7 countries, and was in the process of receiving requests from various countries for the resumption of tourism for individuals. As for the Japanese government's intention, Prime Minister Kishida stated in his policy speech in early October that "Japan is a country that has prospered through the free flow of people, goods, and money to and from the rest of the world. With the weak yen and other factors as a backdrop, we would like to achieve an annual inbound consumption exceeding 5 trillion yen, which is more than the amount before the Coronavirus pandemic". With the recent drastic easing of entry requirements, the government intends to resume full-scale tourism. The Japanese government has also announced its intention to formulate a new plan to become a "tourism-oriented nation" by the end of this fiscal year, with the perspective of hosting the Osaka-Kansai World Expo in 2025. Nomura Research Institute estimates that the economic impact of the increase in the number of visitors to Japan will be 2.1 trillion yen in 2023. And SMBC Nikko Securities forecasts that inbound spending will regain its pre-COVID momentum by the end of 2024, taking into account the effect of the yen's depreciation, and is expecting a resurgence of explosive buying by visitors to Japan against the backdrop of the historically weak yen. The response of the economic community to the government's action has, of course, been positive, with airlines, whose business performance had been severely affected by the previous border control measures, seeing a sharp increase in bookings for international flights from overseas to Japan immediately after easing of the ban was announced. JAL (Japan Airlines) (Expressing support for the easing of entry requirements) "We want to be well prepared to welcome our customers and contribute to the recovery of the Japanese economy." ANA (All Nippon Airways), President Inoue "We are very pleased with the long-awaited deregulation. The economic impact of visitors to Japan before the Coronavirus pandemic was approximately 5 trillion yen, and we expect to see a recovery of the same scale. (Also, regarding the resumption of visa-free individual tourism) I believe that many people who have not been able to visit Japan for a long time will be able to come to Japan from now on. We expect to see an increase in demand not only for urban tourism, but also for regional tourism." Narita International Airport Corporation, President Tamura "The reason why the number of international arrivals and departures has not increased is because of Japan's strict entry requirements, so we are very grateful for the easing [or requirements]. I think it will take one or two months to see the actual effect. We will watch with anticipation whether demand for air travel will recover from the year-end and New Year holidays." Conclusion With the recent drastic relaxation of entry requirements, there are high expectations for inbound consumption by foreign visitors to Japan as a catalyst for Japan's economic recovery, but a look at reactions overseas reveals that foreign visitors' mindsets are not necessarily favorable. The Washington Post (U.S.A.), in an article titled "Japan is reopening. But the effects of its border closure will linger," pointed out the following. "Japan strictly limits foreign arrivals out of covid-19 concerns, a scientifically specious approach that has made the country an outlier among top economies and most Asia-Pacific neighbors that have reopened to tourists. Xenophobia has festered as policymakers and news coverage have tied foreigners to the spread of the virus. Investors, academics and international students have diverted their plans elsewhere. Even after Japan began accepting group tours recently, the intense monitoring and bureaucratic hurdles have largely kept tourists’ interest at bay. Now, Japan faces a credibility gap as it looks to rejoin the world. Figures in business, academia, policymaking and diplomacy are concerned the closure has punctured Japan’s image as a culture that values hospitality. Even with a full reopening, Japan would need concrete steps to restore its standing." Also, Chinese tourists, who were the main source of demand and inbound consumption in Japan before the Coronavirus pandemic, spending approximately 9.5 million in 2019, are expected to take a certain amount of time to return to Japan as overseas travel is still heavily restricted under the Chinese government's strong "Zero Corona Policy." The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts that the number of world travelers will exceed the pre-COVID level by 103% in 2024 compared to 2019, but only 97% will be in from the Asia-Pacific region, and it will be 2025 before the number exceeds pre-COVID levels. In the Asia-Pacific region, the recovery is expected to be delayed in China, where restrictions have not been eased. Other reasons for why the number of foreign visitors to Japan and inbound demand is unlikely to return to 2019 levels all at once, according to Nomura Research Institute, include the current high rate of new infections in Japan compared to other countries and the fact that many countries will refrain from overseas travel if the global economy slows in the future due to soaring prices and tightening monetary policies. However, we should learn from the experiences and measure outcomes of Europe and the U.S., which have been ahead of other countries in restoring borders and accepting foreigners during the coronavirus pandemic, and look forward to future trends to revive "Japan, the land of hospitality" that attract tourists from all over the world, while meanwhile balancing preventing the spread of infection and recovering inbound travel. References: Ministry of Foreign Affairs https://www.mofa.go.jp/p_pd/pds/page22e_000910.html Japan Tourism Agency https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/en/shisaku/kokusai/traveltojapan.html NHK News https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/restrictions/detail/detail_95.html The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/16/japan-covid-restrictions-tourist-xenophobia/ Nomura Research Institute https://www.nri.com/jp/knowledge/blog/lst/2022/fis/kiuchi/1006 Global Outlook for Air Transport Times of Turbulence - IATA https://www.iata.org/en/iata-repository/publications/economic-reports/airline-industry-economic-performance---june-2022---report/#:~:text=The%20financial%20recovery%20will%20continue,from%20our%20end%2D2021%20forecast.&text=all%20regions%20in%202022%2C%20with,return%20to%20profitability%20this%20year Image Resources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbah4XUIQco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Be4jom6WZQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp_sQw9T954

Japanese Government Initiatives for Inbound Tourism Recovery < Back

Legislation Amending the Japanese Civil Aeronautics Act to Implement Small UAS’s BVLOS Operations Over People < Back

With the update of "Runway to Recovery" by the U.S. DOT, DHS, HHS late last year, government agencies hope to provide airports, airlines, and passengers with the most current guidelines for safe air travel, and give each party an understanding of the need for cooperation and individual accountability. < Back Civil Aviation The United States Framework for Airlines and Airports to Mitigate the Public Health Risks of Coronavirus By Daisuke Takagi With the update of "Runway to Recovery" by the U.S. DOT, DHS, HHS late last year, government agencies hope to provide airports, airlines, and passengers with the most current guidelines for safe air travel, and give each party an understanding of the need for cooperation and individual accountability. Download the Report

The UAS BVLOS Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (BVLOS ARC) published a report in March 2022, which covered 70 recommendations. This report details the specific recommendations in the following areas: Operator Qualifications Recommendations, Third-Party Services Recommendations, Environmental Recommendation, General & Procedural Recommendations. < Back Civil Aviation UAS BVLOS Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee Report: Part 2 By Yoshihiro Fujimaki The UAS BVLOS Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (BVLOS ARC) published a report in March 2022, which covered 70 recommendations. This report details the specific recommendations in the following areas: Operator Qualifications Recommendations, Third-Party Services Recommendations, Environmental Recommendation, General & Procedural Recommendations. Download the Report

MaaS in Urban Tokyo by Daisuke Miyamoto MaaS in Urban Tokyo by Daisuke Miyamoto 1. What is MaaS? (1) "Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is the integration of various forms of transport services into a single mobility service accessible on demand. To meet a customer’s request, a MaaS operator facilitates a diverse menu of transport options, be they public transport, ride-, car- or bike-sharing, taxi or car rental/lease, or a combination thereof. For the user, MaaS can offer added value through use of a single application to provide access to mobility , with a single payment channel instead of multiple ticketing and payment operations. For its users, MaaS should be the best value proposition , by helping them meet their mobility needs and solve the inconvenient parts of individual journeys as well as the entire system of mobility services.” 2. What has the concept of MaaS done?  While the MaaS concept has affected every transportation industry throughout the world, at the same time, Daimler, who is the one of car leading companies in the world, revealed their “CASE” concept at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. CASE stands for the fields of networking (Connected), autonomous driving (Autonomous), flexible use (Shared & Services) and electric drive systems (Electric) (2) , and will impact the car industry as well. It is said that both innovations will cause a great mobility revolution that is only seen once every 100 years since cars were first developed. Because both concepts help reduce the ownership of cars, curtail carbon dioxide emissions, encourage the use of public transportation and minimize congestion, many countries and companies have been studying MaaS and CASE in order to enlist these concepts. 3. MaaS in Japan (3) The Japanese government has studied MaaS as well to ride the wave of its increasing popularity, and found that when MaaS is simulated in their future investment strategies, it helps the surrounding communities to achieve a high quality of life and mobilizes society by driving up the potential demand for going out. However, because there are many types of cities in Japan, and each one has several types of transportation options, it has been difficult to directly apply a single concept to every city. They have had to consider and develop a way for MaaS to be suitable for Japan, or one might say that they created a Japanese MaaS. Finally, the Japanese government has found that there are 5 suitable types of MaaS in Japan, as follows: a. Metropolis b. Suburb c. Regional city d. Rural area e. Tourism These MaaS types have different goals, but the Japanese government believes that MaaS will be one of the better solutions for an aging society and expanding urbanization. 4. One MaaS Case Study in Tokyo Tokyo Metro, one of the leading subway operators in the world, has recently launched their MaaS project (4) . They called their Metropolis MaaS project “My! Tokyo MaaS." Tokyo Metro has 179 stations, 7.55 million passengers, and a 195.0 km rail network in Tokyo, so they have earned the position to be able to develop a Metropolis type of MaaS. They emphasize 3 concepts in order to add value to their rail network and service, as follows: a. Personalized trip planning and added value Passengers can get easier access to information for their destination, like routes to elevators in stations and paths to take to avoid getting wet when it’s raining. b. Real-time train operation information Passengers can, of course, get real-time transit operation information and train location information, but can also moreover get suggestions of detours in the case of an accident. c. A more precise network Tokyo Metro will work together with other mobility operators to enable passengers to easily access various mobility modes. I believe that this project will assist not only commuters around urban Tokyo, but also foreign visitors. We are in severe times with COVID-19, but I believe that we can overcome it and enjoy travel again someday, of course with “My! Tokyo MaaS.” Fig. Concept image of my! Tokyo MaaS References: https://maas-alliance.eu/homepage/what-is-maas/ https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/CASE-Networked-strategy.xhtml?oid=29182599#:~:text=CASE%20%E2%80%93%20these%20letters%20are%20shaping,corporate%20strategy%20of%20Daimler%20AG . https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001287842.pdf https://www.tokyometro.jp/news/images_h/metroNews20200325_34.pdf Back to All JITTI Journals July 2020 Feature Article

As vaccination rates increase in the United States and globally, discussion regarding introducing vaccine passports has taken full swing. With sensitivity towards worries over discrimination and other controversies, governments, private companies, and others have begun taking aim at what a vaccine passport might look like, and have made some progress in making them more wide-spread. < Back Tourism & More Vaccine Passport Trends By Tetsuhiro Nakagawa & Daisuke Takagi As vaccination rates increase in the United States and globally, discussion regarding introducing vaccine passports has taken full swing. With sensitivity towards worries over discrimination and other controversies, governments, private companies, and others have begun taking aim at what a vaccine passport might look like, and have made some progress in making them more wide-spread. Download the Report

Revenue Opportunities from Value Capture A joint session by APTA and JITI hosted during APTA's 2019 Rail Conference Tuesday, June 25th, 2019 Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel 123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2M9, Canada Summary of the event In October 2018, at the headquarters of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) in Washington D.C., a meeting was held between Mr. Shukuri, the Chairman of JTTRI and JTTI in Washington, D.C., and Mr. Skoutelas, Chairman of APTA. An agreement was reached on strengthening cooperation between the two organizations. This co-hosted session was the first project that came into reality from this idea. In the United States, cities have been formed with a dependence on cars due to the abundance of land and a historical progression towards building roads for motor vehicles. However, in recent years railways have been developed from the perspective of improving urban sustainability, advancing countermeasures for traffic congestion, and so on. Public transport-oriented urban development, such as railways, has been advocated and put into practice (Transit-Oriented Development, TOD). In addition, Value Capture, or the usage of development profits for transportation advancement, has been attempted in various ways as a part of TOD. In this co-hosted session, we took the opportunity of APTA's 2019 Rail Conference to invite railway operators from Japan and North America, and discussed successful cases of urban railway and rail-side development, and the challenges for business promotion. Results Mr. Yuji Murakami from East Japan Railway Company and Mr. Kantaro Yamaguchi from Tokyu Corporation gave talks on the development of the areas along the railway lines and around the stations, and also plans for the future. [Main points of the lecture by Mr. Yuji Murakami, Manager, Life-style Business Development Headquarters (Shinagawa and Large-Scale Developments Department), East Japan Railway Company] After giving an introduction of the East Japan Railway Company, Mr. Murakami explained about the organizational set-up, outline and vision for growth of their stations’ yard businesses, shopping centers, offices, hotels, advertising businesses, and life service businesses, including revitalizing local cities around stations. In addition, he used JR East’s work at Tokyo Station as an example of Value Capture. In order to restore the 100 year old historical Marunouchi station building, they transfered usage of the surplus space above the station to the surrounding buildings. Then they used profits gained from this transfer for the restoration efforts. Furthermore, he also used the Shinagawa development project as an example. As a means for public transport-oriented city development, he talked about JR East’s ①development of public transportations, such as building the new Takanawa Gateway station and the creation of connections to buses and taxis, ②building of a pedestrian deck to improve walkability, and ③promotion of the development of complex urban functions such as offices, commercial facilities, hotels and convention buildings. [Main points of the lecture by Mr. Kantaro Yamaguchi, Manager, Urban Management Strategy Headquarters, Tokyu Corporation] After giving an introduction of Tokyu Corporation, Mr. Yamaguchi explained that there is a large number of public transport users in Japan, as is evident in the fact that in a ranking of the world’s stations with the most passengers, Japanese stations are listed in 17 of the top 20 stations. This, in addition to railways being profitable and having a positive impact on real estate businesses, are reasons why private railway operators in Japan can promote sustainable development along the railways. Also, with respect to the redevelopment of Futako-tamagawa Station, which is one of the largest projects led by private companies in the Tokyo metropolitan area with a total area of approximately 11 hectares, new functional spaces, such as places of work and recreation, were added to excellent businesses and housing. This resulted in greater improvements in many ways, such as in higher asset values, profit, and increases in the number of transit personnel. Furthermore, using Shibuya Station as an example, which has expanded with the addition of 4 companies and 9 lines, redevelopment was carried out to solve various problems such as transfers, traffic squares, and city divisions. He also talked about the progress of the development of places and communities where diverse people meet. 【Main points of panel discussion】 An active exchange of ideas took place, including discussion on measures to reduce the risk of fluctuations in the real estate market for railway operators, how railway operators provide for affordable housing, the importance of dialogue between railway operators, local public organizations, private operators, etc. in rail-side development and other projects. On the day, Ms. Jane Williams, Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration and Ms. Takako Ito, Consul-General of Japan in Toronto, made Honorable Guest Remarks. The event was attended by approximately 140 people, including guests from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Consulate General of Japan in Toronto, public transportation organizations in North America and Japan, and members of the Toronto Japanese Association of Commerce & Industry members. Video and Audio Records 2019 Rail Conference, Value Capture Session- Remarks (English) Play Video 2019 Rail Conference, Value Capture Session- Presentations ( English) Play Video 2019 Rail Conference, Value Capture Session- Panel Discussion (English) Play Video 2019 APTA-JITI Joint Session Video Watch Now Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Share Close 2019 Rail Conference, Value Capture Session- Remarks ( 日本語) Play Video 2019 Rail Conference, Value Capture Session- Presentations ( 日本語) Play Video 2019 Rail Conference, Value Capture Session- Panel Discussion (日本語) Play Video 2019 APTA-JITI 共催セッションビデオ Watch Now Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Share Close Opening Remarks Paul Skoutelas President and Chief Executive Officer, American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Masafumi Shukuri (video message) Chairman of the Board, Japan International Transport Institute, USA (JITI) Chairman, Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute (JTTRI) Bio Bio Remarks Honorable Guest Remarks K. Jane Williams Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration Bio Takako Ito Consul-General of Japan in Toronto Bio Moderator Sasha Page Principal, IMG Rebel, Washington, DC Bio Presenters Yuji Murakami Manager, Life-style Business Development Headquarters (Shinagawa and Large-Scale Developments Department), East Japan Railway Company Kantaro Yamaguchi Manager, Urban Management Strategy Headquarters, Tokyu Corporation Heather McKillop Chief Financial Officer, Denver Regional Transportation District, Denver, CO Kevin Desmond Chief Executive Officer, South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink), New Westminster, BC Bio Bio Bio Bio Presentation Presentation Presentation Presentation JITI was established by

Join this special sweepstakes for a tour and stay in Kyoto, Japan in celebration of 2024 being designated a "U.S.-Japan Tourism Year." Explore the Timeless Heart of Japan Travel Sweepstakes & Survey Insights Organized by the Japan International Transport and Tourism Institute, USA with cooperation from the Kyoto City Tourism Association Thank you for your interest. The sweepstakes is now closed. In celebration of this year being the first "U.S.-Japan Tourism Year ," and to further deepen tourism exchange, one (1) lucky winner will be chosen at random among participants who have submitted a survey on travel to Japan, to receive a prize to experience the timeless wonders of historic Kyoto, Japan. Thank you for your interest. The sweepstakes is now closed. The Winner Will Recieve: 1/4 Luxury Stay at the Kyoto Hilton* 2 Nights for 2 Guests in Either King or Double Room Complimentary Seasonal Breakfast * Unavailable on blackout dates 1/4 Private Guided Tour of Kyoto 1 Day (5 hour) Tour of Recommended Kyoto Sites Exclusive Interpreter/Guide + Private Car Deluxe Lunch Included (Air and ground transportation to and from Kyoto, Japan are not included) Sweepstakes Details: JITTI USA is a nonprofit whose mission is to conduct comprehensive research of contemporary transport and tourism issues and make recommendations regarding United States and international transport and tourism policies. For this sweepstakes, JITTI USA is conducting a survey to understand U.S. residents' awareness of Japanese transportation and their interest in adventure travel to Japan. To be entered to win, participants must submit the survey by February 28, 2025 . A winner will be selected at random among responses after this deadline via the provided email. The winner has 5 calendar days to claim the prize. If no response is received, another winner will be selected from survey responses with the same stipulations. Eligibility: Only open to residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories age 21 and older. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Official Rules: Click here (LINK) for further details . Privacy Policy: Click here (LINK) to read JITTI USA's privacy policy. Important Dates: FEB 2/28/2025 Sweepstakes Closes at 11:59 PM (EST) Winner will be contacted via email. If no response within 5 calendar days, then alternative winner will be selected. When winner has been confirmed, this website will be updated to announce that the selection has been completed. DEC 12/31/2025 Prize Use Deadline. Non-use by this date will end in forfeit of the prize. Thank you for your interest. The sweepstakes is now closed.

JITTI Journal Cultural Article May 2019 Back to All JITTI Journals May 2019 Cultural Article A Traditional Japanese Celebration for Children (Shichi-Go-San) by Shinichi Yamada There are many unique traditional ceremonies in Japan, and some of them are events for children. In this article, I would like to introduce Shichi-go-san (which stands for the ages of seven, five and three). Shichi-go-san is a traditional ceremony to celebrate the growth of children and to wish for their good health. In general, girls are celebrated when they are three and seven years old, and boys are celebrated when they are three and five years old. Based on regional customs, boys may only be celebrated at age five in some areas of Japan. The Shichi-go-san ceremony is traditionally held on November 15 th , and children wear kimono and go to the shrine to pray with their family. Besides these outings, taking photos of the children and having a dinner party are common ways to celebrate. Children may have a Chitose-Ame in the ceremony, which is a long, thin, red or white candy. "Chitose" literally means one-thousand years, and parents give it to their children with wishes for the children’s healthy growth and longevity. Nowadays people don’t wear kimonos so often in daily life, but this ceremony is a good opportunity to see cute children wearing kimono.

JITI 2013 Intersections Series Improving Railroad Safety: The Status of Positive Train Control and Its Implications October 10, 2013 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Choate Room 1779 Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. Positive train control (PTC) holds the promise to increase safety for passenger and freight rail service in the United States. PTC addresses train-to-train collisions, derailments due to unsafe speeds, and the unauthorized movement of trains. While many international rail systems, including Japan and throughout Europe, have already deployed some form of train control to further ensure safety for this vital transportation mode, the United States has lagged in spite of the National Transportation Safety Board advocating the importance of PTC since the 1990’s. Congress mandated that PTC be implemented on passenger and freight railroads by the end of 2015 through enactment of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. This mandate, largely credited as a response to major accidents including the 2008 Chatsworth train collision, has been met with some resistance from industry. In August, the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation introduced legislation to delay implementation of PTC, though similar legislation failed to be included in Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). An examination of PTC policy is apropos of the coming reauthorization of transportation programs likely to be considered next year. Mr. Cothen, a 41 year veteran of federal service who last served as Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program Development at the Federal Rail Administration, provided the audience with a survey of safety in the railway industry, his perspective on PTC as policy, the state of implementation by industry, and challenges faced by freight and passenger railroad operators. His expertise will illuminate these issues as they relate to interoperability, potential barriers to competition, and funding for PTC. The JITI Intersections Series provides a platform for transportation experts across modes and industries to interact with fellow practitioners and policymakers. As a supplement to JITI’s signature seminars, this series will facilitate further opportunities for open dialogue and exchange of ideas to improve transportation outcomes. Keynote Speeches Grady Cothen Transportation Consultant; Former Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program Development, Federal Rail Administration Bio Presentation

JITTI Journal May 2019 Back to All JITTI Journals May 2019 Feature Article The Japan Coast Guard’s New Challenge for Global Cooperation Among Coast Guard Agencies/ Functions by Yasuhiro Okamoto The Japan Coast Guard (herein after called “JCG”) has supported various countries’ coast guard organizations with their capacity enhancement since 1969, aiding over 81 countries and 3 regions. In addition, JCG has also played an important role in the establishment of the international cooperation framework in the region to facilitate further cooperation among coast guard agencies in Asia and the North Pacific. In this article, I would like to introduce JCG’s new challenge in creating an international framework for the Coast Guard Global Summit. The 1st Coast Guard Global Summit (hereinafter called as “CGGS”) was held in September 2017 and was co-hosted by the Nippon Foundation. The aim of this meeting was to enhance dialogue and cooperation beyond the existing regional framework, and to focus the experience and knowledge of the participants to resolve common issues that every country had faced. Although it was the inaugural meeting, representatives from 34 countries, 1 regional, and 3 international organizations visited Japan to attend. In this meeting there was recognition of the rarity for coast guard’s to gather and discuss the creation of global frameworks, the importance of doing so, and of the necessity to consider human resource development systems and the best forms of inter-regional and international cooperation. With continued interest by participants to further facilitate global cooperation among coast guard agencies, the 1st working level meeting of CGGS took place in November 2018 with the participation of 66 countries and international/ regional organizations. In this working level meeting, the following three agenda points were mainly discussed: Meeting guidelines for smooth future meetings Global human resource development Information sharing According to the meeting summary of the CGGS working level meeting, during the discussion on global human resource development, various advanced and unique programs were shared. Furthermore, there was broad support when JCG proposed to form the voluntary core member group for intensive study and discussion of this matter. It has already been decided that the 2nd CGGS will be held in Tokyo in November 2019. JCG’s new challenge has just started, and it’s not difficult to imagine that they will have additional obstacles that will need to be solved. For example, in comparison with their past cooperative activities, the JCG is unexperienced with organizing an international meeting of this size, with an increase in the number of participation confirmed as compared to the last two meetings. To plan and execute such an enormous event on a regular basis also must create budgetary and operational issues. Furthermore, there is the obvious struggle for JCG to convince participating agencies of the necessity of a global framework. As for the meeting agenda, it seems that human resource development will be a key topic. Unlike other regional cooperation frameworks, a global framework would require consideration of each regions unique issues and/or features. The first challenge for agencies from different regions is to try and cooperate for a unified goal, and to clarify ways to develop human resources in each region. I would like to closely observe the activities, discussion, and results of the 2nd CGGS to know the answer to this question, and I really hope this framework will bring great benefits to coast guard activities across the entire world. Image courtesy of the Japan Coast Guard