Research Reports Topic Area Reset Tourism & More October 2025 Impact of the U.S. Government Shutdown on Transportation and Tourism By Kazuya Fukuhara Civil Aviation August 2025 U.S. Policy Trends on Advanced Air Mobility: Part 4 ~ Final Rule of the Powered-Lift SFAR, Revision of the Vertiport EB, Selection of the CAAT Operating Entity, and Direction to Establish the eIPP ~ By Shinichiro Tsuri Surface Transportation August 2025 Inspection Report on the London Underground Elizabeth Line By Haruhiko Koyama Civil Aviation June 2025 U.S. Policy Trends on Advanced Air Mobility: Part 3 By Shinichiro Tsuri Tourism & More January 2025 The Direction of Transportation and Tourism Policies under the Incoming Trump Administration (Trump 2.0) By Kazuya Fukuhara Maritime Transportation September 2024 A Study on the Impact of the Panama Canal’s Vulnerabilities on U.S. Economic Security By Daisuke Komatsu Surface Transportation August 2024 Field Survey Results of the Texas High-Speed Rail Project By Kazuya Fukuhara 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ... 13

JITTI USA Staff Members Kazuya Fukuhara Senior Representative/ Director of Research Akito Okabe Research Fellow Mamiko Kim Director of Communications and Operations Shinichiro Tsuri Research Fellow Daisuke Komatsu Research Fellow Tomomi Dodd Office Manager Hirokazu Nishikawa Research Fellow Tetsuhiro Hagiwara Research Fellow Suzannah Schindler Administrative Assistant

The Adverse Influence of the Coronavirus on the Shipping Sector by Yasuhiro Okamoto 1. The Adverse Influence of the Coronavirus on the Shipping Sector The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has made a massive impact on almost every sector of the economy and, without exception, the shipping industry has also been in the middle of economic turbulence. According to the media, container traffic at China’s biggest ports (Shenzhen, Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Tianjin, Dalian, and Qingdao) fell for two weeks in a row in early April after a drop in overseas orders for the nation’s exports [Leng, 2020] The causes for decreased container traffic were that many companies started cutting back orders and postponing the delivery of goods due to the coronavirus, and shipping companies also reduced their capacities. For example, Ocean Network Express has announced revised schedules since February to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. 2. The Situation of the Port of Los Angeles Like China’s main ports, the Port of Los Angeles is the busiest in the US by both container volume and cargo value. However, while it has faced a similar situation to China, the Port of Los Angeles has also encountered other unfavorable circumstances around container traffic at their port. The table below shows the container counts (TEUs) for the Port of Los Angeles, which were last recorded in March. As we can easily imagine, the total volume of containers in March largely decreased compared to the previous year. In particular, containers to the Port of Los Angeles from nations in the Pacific Ocean and from China account for the biggest portion of reduced shipments. The Chinese government has introduced various preventive measures to suppress the expansion of coronavirus, and has also slowed down economic activity. In April, there were signs of economic recovery in China, and factories restarted operations and resumed exporting goods. On the other hand, because of the coronavirus pandemic in the US, city lockdowns and curfews have led to closures of freight warehouses, and freights have been left without being picked up at these locations. Additionally, in conjunction with the decline of shipping capacity, empty containers have piled up without being returned to Asia (China). Therefore, the Port of Los Angeles has overflowed with uncollected and empty containers 3. The Issue of Cost Burden Another significant issue caused by the coronavirus for the shipping industry is determining who shall bear the additional cost to vessels from quarantine restrictions or delays while waiting for port authorities to grant clearance to enter port. Many owners of cargo vessels have now asserted that the force majeure clause is applicable in cases of detention or delay of cargo caused by the coronavirus. Consequently, owners of cargo vessels and shipping companies have entered into severe disputes. To avoid this, Japan P&I Club has recommended to include infectious disease clauses that are comprehensive and clearly allocate rights and responsibilities in the event of an outbreak to Time and Voyage Charterparties, which have been produced by BIMCO (Baltic and International Maritime Council). 4. Comments The cost of freight cargo shipments has not changed much from February to March, and it’s clear that the decline in freight capacity has contributed these locked rates. Additionally, the issue of empty containers in many ports may be a potential hindrance for a smooth recovery of the global economy. Also, as I mentioned before, owners of cargo ships have faced an increase of container storage and drayage costs. Furthermore, owners must negotiate with shipping companies to share costs caused by the delay. We may see harmful repercussions of these issues reflected in our economic activities. References Leng, S. (2020, 4 15). Coronavirus: container traffic at China’s top eight ports plunges in early April as pandemic hits overseas orders. Retrieved from South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3080041/coronavirus-container-traffic-chinas-top-eight-ports-plunges The Port of Los Angeles. (2020, 4 10). Container Statistics . Retrieved from https://www.portoflosangeles.org/business/statistics/container-statistics Back to All JITTI Journals May 2020 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 Back to All JITTI Journals May 2019 Feature Article

Back to All JITTI Journals September 2022 Cultural Article Unique Vending Machines in Japan by Akito Okabe “In Japan, everything comes in a vending machine!” We often hear this opinion from tourists who have come to Japan, and it is true that no other country has vending machines that are as well developed. Living in Japan, it is commonplace to see vending machines not only indoors, such as at train stations or convenience stores, but also along the street. Vending Machines Located Outdoors (by Lordcolus) In terms of the simple number of vending machines, Japan lags behind Europe and the United States, but in terms of the number relative to the population, it is by far the largest, indicating that Japan is a "vending machine superpower.” I would like to introduce a few of them in this article because Japanese vending machines are a rarity for people from overseas, and it is uniquely part of Japanese culture. There are several reasons why vending machines became widely used in Japan. The first instance of expanded usage was in 1964, around the time of the Tokyo Olympics, when Japanese National Railways (JNR) introduced ticket vending machines and a large number of coins were put into circulation. Later, around 1974, "hot and cold machines," which were exclusive to Japan, became widespread, and these machines were popular with consumers. Hot and Cold Machine (Image by: acure) The fact that Japan is a safe country and there was little risk of robbery or vandalism when vending machines were introduced also contributed to their spread. The vending machines also offered significant advantages for sellers, such as higher profit margins, the perk of beverage manufacturers being able to display their products alone, and the ability to conduct market research. However, it is said that the number of vending machines installed in Japan is already saturated. In fact, after peaking at about 5.6 million in 2000, the number has been gradually declining year by year. In order to expand the market for vending machines and increase their value, Japan has been evolving its own vending machine business. Here are some examples unique to Japan. Ramen: (Image Credit: macaroni and DIAMOND SIGNAL) These vending machines sell ramen from famous restaurants in frozen form, allowing you to enjoy delicious ramen in the comfort of your own home Fresh Foods: Image Credit: Hyogo Official Tourism Navigation They don't just sell frozen foods, they also sell fresh foods! The strawberries in the photo are very fresh because they were picked that morning. They are very popular and sell out quickly. Such cases of vending machines selling local specialties are also common in Japan. This article only introduces food, but there are many other vending machines in addition to these. Some sell gold and jewelry, and others allow donations to be made through them. Vending machines can be found in places close to wherever you would be, such as subway stations, so please try using one when you visit Japan! Image Resources: Kyoto_20101020_E100G-Roll-27_28 by Lordcolus is licensed under CC BY 2.0 acure macaroni DIAMOND SIGNAL Hyogo Official Tourism Navigation

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Back to All JITTI Journals January 2019 Cultural Article Hatsu-moude by Tomomi Dodd Many Japanese people visit shrines or temples at New Years in a practice called “Hatsu-moude.” “Hatsu” means new or first, and “Moude” means visiting shrines or temples. Traditionally people are supposed to visit their local shrines or temples. This is because it is believed that the spirits worshipped in local shrines or temples protect their regional areas. However, there is no strict rule, and many people visit big places such as “Meiji Shrine” in Tokyo or “Kawasaki-daishi” in Kanagawa Prefecture. People pray to God/spirits to show them appreciation for the last year and to wish for a good new year. Some people wear kimonos to go to Hatsu-moude. Some people wear new clothes, including underwear, as it is a Japanese custom to refresh oneself in the new year. ( DSC_4405 by Éric Fournié is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 ) It is said that Hatsu-moude became popular in Japan after World War II as the development of transportation progressed. Many people start Hatsu-moude after midnight, despite the cold weather and long lines, as trains operate 24 hours on Dec 31st through Jan 1st , and there will be food trucks waiting for visitors at many temples and shrines. ( 靖國神社 初詣 2012 by CLF is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ) People also draw fortune slips at shrines or temples. These are called “omikuji.” Each omikuji predicts different levels of luck for the new year: very good luck, good luck, OK luck, bad luck, or extremely bad luck. It also tells your fortune in specific areas of your life, such as health, romance, money, and education. Many people tie them to the trees at the grounds of shrines or temples after reading them, as it is believed you can tie a bond with God by doing so. ( kichi by fui :-) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ) I recommend you go to Hatsu-moude if you ever have a chance to visit Japan during the new year.

Back to All JITTI Journals November 2023 Feature Article Concept of Operations for Advanced Air Mobility (ConOps for AAM) in Japan by Shinichiro Tsuri 1. Background Advanced air mobility or AAM, defined as “a transportation system that transports people and property by air between two points in the United States using aircraft with advanced technologies, including electric aircraft or electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace” in the US Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act, is the next-generation of air mobility that is expected to operate in the near future. There is also a term known as the Urban Air Mobility (UAM), which is a subset of AAM focusing on air transportation services in and around urban areas. In order to provide a vision of the future operating environment for UAM, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released the Concept of Operations (ConOps) v1.0 for UAM in June 2020, followed by the ConOps v2.0 published in May 2023. AAM (or UAM) is now a worldwide hot topic, and the concept and regulatory framework are being developed in many countries. In Japan, for example, the Concept of Operations for Advanced Air Mobility (ConOps for AAM) was published in March 2023. In this article, I will introduce the overview of the ConOps for AAM in Japan. Image of AAM (Image Source: the FAA’s website Advanced Air Mobility | Air Taxis ) 2. Overview of ConOps for AAM in Japan On March 31, 2023, the first issue of the ConOps for AAM in Japan was released under the activities of Public-Private Committee for Advanced Air Mobility, which was established in 2018 to have public-private joint discussion on technology development and regulatory issues of AAM. The ConOps consists of 1. Introduction, 2. Overview of Advanced Air Mobility, 3. Phases of Advanced Air Mobility Introduction, and 4. Conclusions. In the following, I will highlight some key topics among them. Aircraft In the section 2.1, three aircraft types are described as the classification of eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft used as AAM. The first one is “multirotor.” Lift and thrust are provided by three or more electric powered rotors rotating vertically. The attitude of aircraft can be controlled by combined forces generated by changing the rotation speed of these multiple rotors. This type of aircraft is used only for short‐distance trips due to high battery drainage during the cruise phase. The second one is “lift and cruise.” Multiple rotors are used to generate lift during vertical take‐off and landing. During cruise, the multiple rotors are turned off, and fixed wings and propellers are used to generate lift and forward thrust for a level flight. This type of aircraft has better energy efficiency than those that are the multirotor type in the cruise phase due to the use of fixed wings, and is therefore suited to longer distance trips. The third one is “vectored thrust.” Vertically positioned propellers generate lift during vertical take‐off and landing. During cruise, the same propellers tilt to generate forward thrust and lift is generated by the fixed wings. In the same way as a lift and cruise type, this type of aircraft is suited to longer distance trips than the multirotor type, and potentially provides higher cruise speed and distance than other types of aircraft due to the use of the same propulsion system for take-off/landing and cruise. On‐ground infrastructure Section 2.3 explains about on-ground infrastructure for AAM, called “vertiport,” which is defined as an “airport etc.” under the Civil Aeronautics Act, and as a type of a “heliport” dedicated to AAM. While existing aerodromes/airports are expected to be utilized for initial AAM operation, new dedicated vertiports will be needed to operate AAM where existing aerodromes/airports do not exist. Furthermore, additional facilities may be needed such as battery swapping equipment, electrical chargers*1, and fire extinguishing systems for battery fires. *1 Currently, two methods are known to charge eVTOL aircraft: (1) battery replacement and (2) direct charging. Airspace, Traffic Management Section 2.4 describes airspace and traffic management for AAM. Considering the expansion of UAM operations and the emerging remote control or automated/autonomous operation technology, flight safety may not be fully secured only by the VFR (visual flight rules) operation. Therefore, a new concept of airspace and traffic management is needed: the new traffic management service is called Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM) service and the airspace where UATM service will be provided is defined as a UATM Service Area (UASA). UATM services include, but are not limited to, Information Exchange: Exchange timely and accurate data (such as flight data, restrictions, air route information, active special activity airspace (SAA)) among low‐altitude airspace stakeholders including ANSP (Air Navigation Service Provider), to support the safe and efficient operation of AAM aircraft. Airspace Management: Establish UASA, vertiport airspaces*2, and UAM routes*3/UAM corridors*4 to efficiently use low‐altitude airspace along with the demand. Introduction of dynamic airspace management may be considered as the scale of operations expands. *2 The airspaces around vertiports flexibly activated and deactivated in which entry/exit points, arrival/departure paths, missed approach paths, and obstacle limitation surfaces etc. are established. *3 The routes established to connect airports/vertiports and to increase the predictability of UAM aircraft locations, thereby improve situational awareness of other low‐altitude airspace stakeholders. Setting UAM routes does not necessarily require significant regulatory change compared to setting UAM corridors. UAM routes can be used by aircraft other than UAM. *4 Dedicated airspaces connecting airports/vertiports in which aircraft must comply with specific rules, procedures, and performance requirements. Their dimensions are defined and they are established when UAM operation density is particularly high and airspace capacity needs to be increased. Conflict Management: Manage arrival and departure times and slots in order to ensure that demand of AAM operation is met as much as possible under the limited capacity of airspace and vertiports. Flight Plan Confirmation/Authorization: As the scale of operations expands, the process of flight plans authorization may be needed. Submitted flight plans are authorized after review and coordination as needed. Conformance Monitoring: Ensure that AAM aircraft within the UASA is flying in compliance with the confirmed/authorized flight plan. Provide timely information and actions to be taken for non-conforming aircraft affecting the operation of UATM services and for other AAM aircraft affected by the non‐conforming aircraft. Phases of Advanced Air Mobility Introduction In section 3, the expected phases of AAM introduction are described. The introduction process is comprised of four phases shown in the table below. Phases of AAM Introduction Phase Maturity Level Timeframe Phase 0 Test flights and demonstration flights prior to commercail operations Phase 1 Commencement of commercial operations - Low density operations - Pilot onboard operations, remotely piloted operations (cargo transport only) Around 2025 Phase 2 Scaled operations - Medium to high density operations - Pilot onboard operations, remotely piloted operations Late 2020's or later Phase 3 Establishment of AAM operations including autonomy - High density operations - Integrated with automated / autonomous operations 2030’s and beyond Phase 0 Test flights and demonstration flights will be conducted prior to commercial operations. Those flights require JCAB approval along with the safety regulations under the Civil Aeronautics Act. Phase 1 The initial introduction of commercial AAM operations in Japan will take place. In Phase1, for passenger carrying AAM operations, initial operations are expected to be low density operations and piloted under VFR, similar to existing aircraft operations. Initially, existing airports and rules will be utilized, but relatively small vertiport developments are also envisioned. AAM will be operated based on existing ATM (Air Traffic Management) concepts, but initial UATM services which do not require significant regulatory changes or technological innovation will be introduced. UATM services in Phase 1 may include: Information Exchange (Providing information by voice in vertiport airspaces and UAM routes) Airspace Management (Setting vertiport airspaces and UAM routes, etc.) Conflict Management (Capacity management of congested ports) Flight Plan Confirmation Conformance Monitoring (Obtaining location information using ADS‐B, providing information by voice, etc.) Phase 1 (Image Source: Concept of Operations for Advanced Air Mobility (ConOps for AAM ))  Phase 2 AAM operations in Japan will be scaled up, and medium‐to‐high density, piloted (and some remotely piloted) operations are expected. Larger and more complex vertiports will be developed including in complex urban environments (on the rooftop of buildings etc.). New airspace concepts and advanced UATM services will be implemented where required to support the scale and nature of AAM operations (e.g., remote piloting and IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions)). UATM services in Phase 2 may include: Information Exchange (Providing and exchanging information through data) Airspace Management (Setting UAM corridors and dynamic airspace management may be considered) Conflict Management (Advanced coordination including capacity management of airspace and flow management) Flight Plan Authorization Conformance Monitoring (Real‐time deconfliction will be also considered) Phase 2 (Image Source: Concept of Operations for Advanced Air Mobility (ConOps for AAM) ) Phase 3 AAM operations in Japan will be scaled up into high‐density operations. Operations in the UASA will be a mix of piloted and remotely piloted operations. Autonomous operations will become more sophisticated. It is expected that, at some point, all airspace users in the UASA will use UATM services. UATM concepts may be expanded to other airspace outside of the UASA and integrated with ATM and UTM (Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management). 3. Future Prospects As the ConOps for UAM in the US was updated reflecting the continued maturation of UAM and feedback received on the initial version, the ConOps for AAM in Japan is also expected to evolve along with technological advances, overseas trends, and feedback from stakeholders. I hope that the Japanese industry will successfully operate AAM in the near future, fostering a better common understanding of AAM with this document and actively discussing regulations / technologies among stakeholders. References FAA, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Concept of Operations https://www.faa.gov/air-taxis/uam_blueprint Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Public-Private Committee for Advanced Air Mobility https://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/koku_tk2_000007.html Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Concept of Operations for Advanced Air Mobility (ConOps for AAM) https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001611491.pdf

JITTI Journal Filter by Year Reset March 2024 Main Page: Read More Feature Article: Toward the Spread and Expansion of Sports Culture Tourism Cultural Article: Hina Hanging Decoration Festival in Izu Inatori January 2024 Main Page: Read More Feature Article: Japan's Strategic Countermeasures against the Pirates of the Seas Cultural Article: An Introduction of Japanese BBQ November 2023 Main Page: Read More Feature Article: Concept of Operations for Advanced Air Mobility (ConOps for AAM) in Japan Cultural Article: The Kumano Kodo: A Historic Pilgrimage in the Japanese Mountainside September 2023 Main Page: Read More Feature Article: The Current Use of Metropolitan Airports during the First Summer Vacation after the COVID Pandemic and the Latest Initiatives at These Airports Cultural Article: Your next adventure in Japan- Ekichika July 2023 Main Page: Read More Feature Article: Japanese Government Initiatives for Inbound Tourism Recovery Cultural Article: Oshiro- Japanese Castles May 2023 Main Page: Read More Feature Article: A Historic Moment: The Blossoming of Japan-US Coast Guard Academic Collaboration Cultural Article: Japanese Wisteria 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 7 Pre-2018 Journals

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