How Has COVID 19 Affected Transportation in Japan? An Introduction of Japanese Statistics by Shuntaro Okimoto The impact of COVID 19 on the transportation and tourism sectors is significant, and no one knows when the pandemic will end. I live near Washington, DC, so I feel the impact on this region every day. On the other hand, how has my home country of Japan, on the other side of the globe, been affected? The virus, which has caused us suffering, is the same around the world, and Japan, like the United States, also has modern and functional transportation modes, such as railroads, airplanes, and cars. Is the impact on transportation in Japan similar to that in the United States? Or instead, has the coronavirus impacted the transportation sector differently between the United States, which has a vast continent, and Japan, which is a small island country surrounded by the sea? By introducing the latest statistics issued by the Japanese government, I would like to give you a chance to ponder this topic. All Japanese data used in this document was provided by the Japanese government, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/joho03_hh_000139.html (in Japanese only) I browsed the following pages to find US data: “Monthly Transportation Statistics” (Bureau of Transportation Statistics) https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/Monthly-Transportation-Statistics/m9eb-yevh 1. Rail Passengers The number of rail passengers has decreased since March, and in April and May it was 54% of the number from the same month the previous year. It recovered slightly in June, reaching 70% of last year’s number. According to the Passenger km, which is data obtained by multiplying the number of passengers to the distance traveled (shown by the orange line in the graph above), the drop is larger than the data for the number of passengers (shown by the blue line). This is because the number of passengers traveling long-distances is significantly decreasing. Passengers on the high-speed railway in Japan, called the Shinkansen, have recovered only to 20% in July, and the latest release by the railway company suggests that this trend will continue at least until August. This data is shocking. As you may be aware if you are familiar with Japan, the Japanese love taking the train very much. In urban areas, such as Tokyo, there are extremely convenient urban railroads and subways, and many businessmen working in Tokyo commute by rail every weekday. Also, during long weekends, they go far away using the Shinkansen that connects cities. If you visit Japan, you will probably ride several trains. The reason why passengers disappeared from trains, which have a strong presence in Japan's domestic transportation system, is that the government issued a state of emergency on April 7th, which restricted commuting to offices and restrained people from traveling for holidays. (Currently, the state of emergency has been lifted.) Japan's leading railroad companies (many of which are completely private companies) announced their financial results for the April-June quarter in mid-August, but all the companies were in the red. In the United States, the number of intercity rail passengers has almost disappeared since the latter half of March, and in June it recovered to only about 7% of the same month last year. Urban rail passengers fell to 10% year-on-year in April, but then recovered to 24%. Passenger growth has recovered faster in Japan, probably because of the difference in the presence of railways. 2. Air Passengers Air passenger numbers on Japanese carriers were at their worst in May, and have started to get a little better since then. Domestic passengers in June have recovered to 20% year-on-year, and this recovery trend is expected to continue. On the other hand, attracting international passengers continues to be in a difficult due to continued immigration restrictions and self-isolation by countries around the world. In the United States, domestic flights in June accounted for 22% year-on-year, and international flights in the same month accounted for about 5%. The recovery of US and Japanese air passengers is about the same. Japanese air carriers are facing a very difficult situation, just as air carriers in other countries are. Although they secure cash through frequent borrowing, there is currently no direct government support for air carriers, such as the subsidies found under the US CARES Act. Regarding, the COVID 19 pandemic and its impact on air passengers, I wrote another report in April with more detailed information. If you are interested in reading it, you can access it from the link below. https://af934965-c8f7-4701-9b19-735ce5bd25c9.filesusr.com/ugd/af054c_8405014ca6394fa5809f0a666fbcb3b6.pdf 3. Buses and Taxes This is passenger data for buses and taxis in Tokyo. The number of passengers riding taxis decreased sharply until May. It can be said that it is currently on a recovery trend, rising to 50% year-on-year in June. The number of passengers riding fixed-route buses in July in the United States was about 50% compared to the same month of the previous year, and the recovery is slower than in Japan, which has numbers of over 70%. 4. Logistics The impact on logistics is different from that of passengers. The effect of the pandemic on domestic logistics is small, and it has instead invigorated some logistic industries. The increase in door-to-door package transportation is thought to be due to the increase in the use of online shopping during the pandemic. Less-than-truckload freight shipping (LTL) is used for the transportation of small freight, or when a freight doesn’t require the use of an entire trailer. Looking at the impact of trucks on logistic transportation from the perspective of LTL and general motor trucks, there has not been much of a negative effect. The impact on logistics for other modes has also been small compared than that for passengers. The decrease in air cargo is thought to be due to the decline in passenger flights. In the US, the impact on logistics and passenger transportation is the same. What is noteworthy about US freight transport is that air cargo in June exceeded last year's levels both domestically and internationally. For domestic flights, it has been more than 10% higher than last year since April. 5. Travel Agencies The Japanese government has been focusing on policies to attract foreign visitors to Japan. However, from March to July, foreign visitors have almost disappeared to about 0.1% year-on-year. In addition, domestic tourism has declined since March in Japan. As a result, travel agencies are in great trouble. To improve this situation, the Japanese government started a policy of subsidizing domestic private travel in July. Some people are concerned about the spread of infection by this measure, but the positive effects of increasing the number of people traveling domestically has begun to appear. In the third week of September, which is when I am writing this article, Japan has four holidays, and some reports suggest that the most people have enjoyed traveling at this time than since the pandemic began. I discovered that Japan and the United States, whose lands are completely different in size and shape, have been similarly affected by the pandemic. Especially in the field of transportation, even if the movement of people has extremely reduced, the movement of goods has not reduced very much, or may have even been partially invigorated. The traffic modes in both countries will remain changing their operation even in the new normal. We will continue to monitor the impact of pandemics on transportation in Japan and the United States. If you have any questions about the current state of transportation and tourism in Japan, please feel free to contact us. Back to All JITTI Journals September 2020 Feature Article

Back to All JITTI Journals May 2018 Feature Article Improving and Strengthening the Transport Safety Management System by Hiroki Sakamoto Ensuring safety is a central and fundamental issue in the public transportation sector. When an accident occurs, it not only can cause significant damage, but it can also have an enormous impact on society. Therefore various measures are being undertaken to prevent accidents from occurring. In October 2006, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan introduced the 'Transport Safety Management System' in the wake of frequently occurring accidents and other incidents in various transportation sectors, such as railway, automobile, shipping, and airlines. These incidents were primarily those which were caused by human error. This policy aims to build and strengthen the safety management system, which will be united with the MLIT organization, under the proactive involvement of the top management executive in transport operation. MLIT conducts Transport Safety Management Evaluations, through checks and advice, which is intended to continuously improve the safety management system by using the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Action) cycle. In FY2016, 932 transport operators (59 railways, 640 automobiles, 223 shipping and 10 airlines) were subject to Transport Safety Management Evaluation. The outline of the Transport Safety Management System is as follows (Figure 1). Based on lessons learned from past serious accidents in the transportation field, it is important for each transport operator to spiral upward (with an awareness of the PDCA cycle) using company-wide efforts toward safety, and the establishment of a safety management system under the leadership of the top management executives. For this reason, business laws related to land, marine, and air transport were amended (promulgated in March 2006) and the Transport Safety Management System was introduced. Under this legislation, transport operators are required to appoint a Chief Safety Management Officer (executive class), set out safety management rules, and promote the improvement and establishment of safety management systems through the leadership of top management. Also, preventive safety-type support systems were implemented through interviews and other measures directed at the transport operators' management division, including their top management executives. (Figure 1) The outline of the Transport Safety Management System Transport Safety Management Evaluation teams, belonging to the MLIT and District Transport Bureau, visit transport operators' headquarters to conduct the Transport Safety Management Evaluation on the operators' Top Management and Chief Safety Management Officer (Figure 2). (Figure 2) Transport Safety Management Evaluation on Top Management The team conducts a positive evaluation and provides advice, to help promote continuous improvements, based on items from the guidelines to the system, some of which are as follows (and in Figure 3). Formulate and promulgate safety policies Formulate and review priority safety measures Ensure communication Collect and use information on accidents and near-miss events Implement education and training Conduct internal audits, etc. (14 items) (Figure 3) Evaluation Chart of Transport Safety Management Evaluation In FY2016, MLIT hosted transport safety management seminars for transport operators in order to deepen understanding of this system, and these seminars were attended by 3,789 people. In FY2015, 7,043 people attended seminars, as part of an accredited seminar program that was established in 2013 for the purpose of further disseminating and shedding light on this system to small and medium-sized transport operators (programs through which transport safety management seminars organized by private-sector organizations are accredited by the MLIT). October 2016 was designated as the "10 Years of Strengthening Transport Safety Management Month" to mark the 10 years that had passed since the system was introduced. Evaluations by MLIT had been conducted on approx. 7,500 transport operators over the past 10 years at that point, which contributed greatly to the improvement of their safety. MLIT carried out initiatives to further spread and instill the system, including holding discussions about how the system should work in the future, such as the "2016 Symposium on Safety in the Transport Business: Review of the 10 Years since the Introduction of the Transport Safety Management System and Directions for the Next 10 Years," and the "Transport Safety Management 10th Anniversary Seminar." Moreover, the system's effects and issues were reviewed and discussions were held by the Transport Council's Task Force on Ensuring Transport Safety, in order to study the future evolution of the system. Based on the report from the Council, MLIT revised the fundamental policy to implement the Transport Safety Management System in 2017. The main revisions were: prioritizing the Transport Safety Management Evaluation on chartered bus operators, promoting the development of safety management of small to medium-sized transport operators, and strengthening support for Chief Safety Management Officers of transport operators. Furthermore, it promoted support for transport operators to cope with the emerging challenges in recent transport sectors such as the shortages of drivers in transport industries, deteriorated transport infrastructures, serious damage to transport facilities from natural disasters and terrorist attacks as well as other issues and challenges. Strengthening safety measures is the top priority in all transport modes, and continuous and effective efforts by both the private and public sectors through the Transport Safety Management System are keys to establish safe and secure public transport systems.

Back to All JITTI Journals March 2019 Feature Article Tokyo is Waiting for You by Daisuke Miyamoto 1. INTRODUCTION Japanese people are pleased that a lot of foreign people have been visiting Japan recently. The number of visitors from overseas has been increasing year by year, and was numbered at about 31 million in 2018. Furthermore, the Japanese government is promoting a variety of policies to achieve targets of 40 million visitors in 2020 and 60 million in 2030. Japan has been working on developing infrastructure and services in order to accommodate for the influx of foreign visitors, and to alleviate the stress of traveling around Japan. In this report, I will narrow the scope of these accommodations to those made in Tokyo, which is one of biggest cities in the world, and in particular will introduce some practices of Tokyo Metro, which is one of the biggest subway operators in the world. 2. TRAIN STATION NAVIGATORS Tokyo Metro has arranged for station navigators, called service managers, to assist you with finding fares, buying tickets, instructing you on the best routes to get to your destination, and informing you of the facilities around the station. They will also do their best to answer any other inquiries you may have, and can even communicate in English, Chinese, and Korean with the help of a tablet. Service managers can be found at 16 major stations like Ueno Station, Akihabara Station and Ginza Station. In stations without station managers, other station staff will be able to help assist you with help of a tablet as well. What’s more, there are interpreters who can speak English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese over the phone. A Service Manager is Responding to a Visitor’s Inquiry 3. TICKETS TO RIDE Tokyo Metro offers various discount tickets to suit your style of travel. I’ll introduce three kinds of tickets. Tokyo Subway Ticket: The three kinds of Tokyo Subway tickets are the 24-hour ticket, the 48-hour ticket, and the 72-hour ticket. These tickets are valid with an unlimited use on any Tokyo Metro line and Toei Subway within the hours you select. These tickets are suitable for those people who would like to travel around Tokyo. Greater Tokyo Pass: It might surprise you, but there are a lot of private train operators in Japan, and of course in Tokyo too. It means that you might sometimes need to buy tickets at each transfer point along your route to get to your destination. However, you don’t need to worry about it. This Greater Tokyo Pass gives you unlimited usage on 12 kinds of train operators and 51 kinds of bus systems in the Kanto-area for 3 days. There are lots of suburban destinations around Tokyo such as Takao-mountain and Enoshima. This ticket is suitable for those people who would like to go around suburban area of Tokyo. Airport-Downtown Tokyo Routes and Ticket: The biggest international airport, Narita Airport, is about 35 miles in distance from the Tokyo downtown area, but that is not a problem. There are many convenient ways like the Keisei Skyliner to get to downtown Tokyo. The Airport-Downtown Tokyo Routes and Ticket is a joint pass with both the Keisei Skyliner airport transport ticket and the Tokyo Subway Ticket. You can get to your destination in Tokyo, travel around the city, and go to and from Narita Airport with a single payment. Some of the tickets 4. TOKYO IS WAITING FOR YOU!! Tokyo has not only attractive places to visit, but also has efficient infrastructure and attentive services that allow you to get around easily. Why don’t you visit Tokyo?

Back to All JITTI Journals September 2023 Feature Article The Current Use of Metropolitan Airports during the First Summer Vacation after the Covid Pandemic and the Latest Initiatives at These Airports By Tetsuhiro Hagiwara Introduction The rush of people spending their summer vacation abroad peaked at Narita Airport on August 10. The departure lobby was crowded from the early morning with families carrying suitcases in anticipation of the first Bon period since the Coronavirus pandemic was designated as a "Class 5" disease under the Infectious Disease Control Law. On May 8, 2023, the Japanese government shifted the infectious disease status of the Coronavirus from "new-type influenza and other infectious diseases (equivalent to category 2)" to "category 5 infectious diseases" under the Infectious Diseases Control Law, finally eliminating the restrictions that had been in place until then, such as the constraints of going outside and wearing a mask indoors for those infected or in close contact. While Japan is flooded with foreign tourists who have returned to the country as a result of the elimination of border control measures, momentum for Japanese people to take their long-awaited overseas trips during this summer vacation is also gaining. In this article, I would like to take a look at the usage of airports in the Tokyo metropolitan area during the summer vacation (Bon period) after the Coronavirus pandemic and the efforts of non-aeronautical revenue businesses at Haneda and Narita airports to improve earnings post-COVID. 1. International Flight Usage during the Dummer Vacation Period at Airports in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area (Haneda and Narita) On August 25, the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau announced preliminary figures for this year's Bon period (August 10-20) showing that Haneda Airport had 575,940 inbound and outbound passengers and Narita Airport had 802,740 inbound and outbound passengers during the same period. Compared to 2019, before the Coronavirus pandemic, the number of daily passengers at Haneda and Narita airports recovered to 99% and 69% of their pre-COVID levels, particularly at Haneda Airport, which has finally returned to its pre-pandemic level after a long passage of time. A breakdown of passengers at Narita Airport shows that while the number of daily inbound and outbound passengers recovered to the same level compared to 2019 for foreigners, the number of Japanese was at about 50% of the level of 2019. It appears that overseas travel is still a challenge for Japanese after the Coronavirus pandemic. One reason for this may be the recent relatively high airfares and the declining purchasing power due to a weakened JPY. According to airline companies, many overseas airfares are up 20-40% on many routes compared to pre-pandemic. This is due to soaring energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as the yen's depreciation from around 106 yen to the dollar before the pandemic (August of the 2019) to around 145 yen at present. Crowded departure lobby at Haneda Airport with people heading overseas. (Image Source: Mainichi News) 2. Efforts in Non-aeronautical Revenue Businesses at Haneda and Narita Airports to Improve Profitability As mentioned above, the number of foreign visitors to Japan is finally returning, but airport revenues were damaged to an unprecedented degree by the Coronavirus pandemic. During the three years of COVID, what measures have struggling airport companies taken to survive in the midst of deteriorating profitability and record deficits? The airport itself is a place for extraordinary experiences Narita Airport: Bus tour in restricted area Green Port Agency, a group company of Narita International Airport Corporation, is offering a "Narita Airport Special Bus Tour" at Narita Airport. The tour includes a close-up look at aircraft in a restricted area where a variety of aircraft from around the world reside, as well as a 360° panoramic view of the cargo area, maintenance area, and 60-meter-high Ramp Central Tower. The event also provides a unique opportunity to see the behind-the-scenes of Narita Airport, including a photo tour with a famous photographer and a tour of the JAL maintenance hangar. Narita Airport Special Bus Tour (Image Source: Green Port Travel ) Haneda Airport: Aircraft Cruise Tour from Tokyo Bay At Haneda Airport, Haneda Passenger Service Co., Ltd. operates the "Under Jet Cruise", a group company of Japan Airport Building Co. The service offers an extraordinary cruise experience on a boat in Tokyo Bay, where passengers can enjoy close-up views of aircraft takeoffs and landings. The Haneda Airport Under Jet Cruise (Image Source: Japan Airport Building Co., Haneda Passenger Service Co., KM Corporation ) Other non-aeronautical revenue business Narita Airport: "+NRT factory," a brand of local products linked to the area surrounding the airport In March 2023, Narita International Airport Corporation announced the launch of "+NRT factory," a brand of local products in cooperation with the surrounding area, to develop and sell new products such as local confectionery and gourmet foods, with the aim of communicating the charm of the region to the world. We can look forward to the development of new products based on the theme of "excitement" that is unique to Narita Airport. (Image Source: Narita International Airport Corporation) Haneda Airport: Large-scale complex facility "HANEDA INNOVATION CITY Haneda Mirai Kaihatsu Corporation (an operating company in which nine companies have invested) announced the completion on June 30, 2023 of "HANEDA INNOVATION CITY" (abbreviated name: HICity), a large-scale complex facility being developed in a public-private partnership with Ota Ward in the Zone 1 development project on the former Haneda Airport site adjacent to the airport. The grand opening of the entire facility is scheduled for November of this year. HICity is Japan's first smart airport city, which will generate exchanges that transcend the boundaries between "cutting-edge" and "culture" and create new value. The building will house a variety of facilities, including research and development facilities, offices, an advanced medical center, an event hall, accommodations, Japanese cultural experience facilities, and dining facilities. It is expected to become a center for the creation of new business and innovation through the gathering and exchanges of people, goods, and information from Japan and abroad. (Image Source: Haneda Mirai Kaihatsu Corporation) 3. Efforts at Haneda and Narita Airports to Achieve Carbon Neutrality While the movement to promote carbon neutrality is accelerating in various countries and sectors around the world, in Japan, the revision of the Civil Aeronautics Law and Airport Law, which went into effect in December 2022, includes the promotion of decarbonization in the purpose provisions of both laws. In this context, I would like to introduce new initiatives at airports in the Tokyo metropolitan area (Haneda and Narita). Narita Airport: Establishment of Green Energy Frontier Co. Challenge to decarbonize energy supplied to the airport by 2050 Narita International Airport Corporation and Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. have established Green Energy Frontier Corporation to supply energy to Narita Airport and began operations on April 1, 2023. The company plans to invest 100 billion yen by 2050 through the construction of a new energy plant and the installation of a solar power generation facility, the largest of its kind in the world at an airport. The company intends to be the first in the world to build a "decarbonization model for airports" at Narita International Airport that combines environmental friendliness and resilience, and to apply this technology and know-how to urban development and industrial parks in the airport's vicinity. Rendering of the new plant Image of solar power generation equipment (Image Source: Narita International Airport Corporation, Tokyo Gas Co.) Haneda/Narita Airports: Promoting the Use of GPUs. Contributing to decarbonization by reducing aircraft "idling" on the ground Haneda and Narita airports have announced that, beginning this spring, they will raise restrictions on the use of APUs (Auxiliary Power Units), which are used to provide the electricity and air conditioning needed by aircraft parked at the airports, to the strictest level in Japan, and will further promote the use of GPUs (Ground Power Units), which have higher CO2 reduction effects, to help decarbonize the airports. The use of GPUs will reduce CO2 emissions to 1/15 or less (in the case of a Boeing 777) compared to the use of APUs, thus contributing to the promotion of decarbonization at airports in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Conceptual Diagram of GPU Supply (Image Source: East Japan Civil Aviation Bureau, Narita International Airport Corporation) Conclusion According to the Quarterly Air Transport Chartbook, released August 31 by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), air traffic across the industry will recover to about 88% of 2019 levels in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019, with the short-term outlook for total passenger traffic returning to 2019 levels in early 2024, It is expected to double by 2040. In Japan, the number of daily passengers during the summer Bon period has recovered to about 100% of the 2019 level at Haneda Airport and 70% of the 2019 level at Narita Airport. Furthermore, with there also being reports that the ban has been lifted for group passengers from China, which had a significant impact on the Japanese inbound economy before the pandemic, the long period of receding demand and deteriorating profitability caused by the Coronavirus is finally coming to an end. Airport operators are working to diversify their revenue sources by expanding their non-aeronautical revenue businesses, such as making the airport itself a place for extraordinary experiences and adding commercial facilities, and this trend is expected to continue in the future. This article focuses on the initiatives at Haneda and Narita airports, but we will continue to introduce new initiatives at various airports in the future, including those in other countries. References : ■Mainichi News https://mainichi.jp/articles/20230810/k00/00m/040/223000c ■Haneda Airport Summer Passenger Volume Estimates http://www.tiat.co.jp/news/cf560f0fcc77f831b332cb51259adfcbb157dd5a.pdf ■Narita Airport Summer Passenger Volume Estimates https://www.naa.jp/jp/docs/20230803_ryokyakusuikei.pdf ■Narita Airport Special Bus Tour https://nrttour.gpa-travel.jp/skybus2023-3/ ■Haneda Airport Under Jet Cruise https://www.tokyo-airport-bldg.co.jp/site_resource/whats_new/pdf/000013474.pdf ■+NRT factory https://www.naa.jp/jp/docs/20230317_NRTfactory.pdf ■Haneda INNOVATION CITY https://www.tokyo-airport-bldg.co.jp/site_resource/whats_new/pdf/000013575.pdf ■ Green Energy Frontier https://www.naa.jp/jp/docs/20230220_jigyokaishi.pdf ■Further promotion of GPU use https://www.naa.jp/jp/docs/20230323_GPU.pdf

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Autonomous Driving in Restricted Areas at Japanese Airports By Yoshihiro Fujimaki 1. What is “autonomous driving in restricted areas”? Development of the autonomous driving car is progressing not only for public roads but also for airport environments. It looks easier to ensure traffic safety in restricted areas of airports, so-called “Airside,” than on public roads because neither the general public nor cars driven by them are present. In addition, while the Japanese government has set an aspirational target of 60 million inbound tourists in 2030, the capacity of airports may be constrained by a shortage of labor working at airports, especially those working for ground handling services. Therefore, autonomous driving cars at airports are expected to be a quite useful tool for labor-saving. Based on the above circumstances, in 2018, the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) established a committee to study demonstration experiments of autonomous driving in airport restricted areas. This committee aims to realize autonomous driving in restricted areas by conducting several demonstration experiments. Since its establishment, the committee has been considering the guidelines, selecting participants, and reviewing the results of such demonstration experiments. The committee focuses on towing tractors and ramp buses, some of which are currently at “Level 3” autonomy and will be at “Level 4” autonomy in the future. The differences between “Level 3” and “Level 4” in autonomy are shown in the table below. Table 1: Differences between “Level 3” and “Level 4” in autonomous driving (Prepared based on “Public-private ITS Initiative/Roadmaps 2020” (in Japanese, definitions of these Levels are equivalent to SAE International J3016 (2016)): https://cio.go.jp/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/its_roadmap_2020.pdf ) 2. Autonomous driving towing tractor Towing tractors are used for transporting passenger checked baggage and other cargo within the airport. Serving as the demonstration experiments which I mentioned earlier, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) have been conducting several trials of autonomous driving towing tractors. ANA has been holding tests at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport). Their autonomous driving towing tractor is manufactured by Toyota Industries Corporation, and it runs along the pre-defined route based on information gathered from camera, GPS and Laser imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) integrated sensors. In FY2021, they performed over 200 transportations of passenger checked baggage and other cargo, over 1,100 km in total, without any delay. JAL has been conducting tests at Narita International Airport. Their autonomous driving towing tractor is manufactured by TLD Group, and it also runs along pre-defined route based on information from odometer, inertial measuring unit (IMU), GPS and LiDAR sensors. In FY2020, they performed over 300 transportations of passenger checked baggage, over 300 km in total, and have officially introduced the autonomous driving towing tractor since March 2021. (The above figure is reprinted from the JAL’s website: https://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/202103/005973.html ) 3. Autonomous driving ramp bus Ramp buses are used for transporting passengers between airport terminal buildings or between airport terminal buildings and aircraft. An autonomous driving ramp bus is now undergoing demonstration experiments at Narita International Airport. That autonomous driving ramp bus is for 10 passengers, and is manufactured by Tajima Motor Cooperation with autonomous driving system developed by TIER IV, which is a software development company in Japan. It runs along the pre-defined route based on information from camera, IMU, GPS and LiDAR sensors, and ran in total for about 80 km in 4 days for a demonstration in FY2021. Currently, the consortium including Narita International Airport Corporation and TIER IV is conducting trials where a single remote supervisor monitors up to three vehicles at the same time. (The above figure is reprinted from the Narita International Airport Corporation’s website (in Japanese: https://www.naa.jp/jp/docs/20220210-5g_HP.pdf ) 4. Towards “Level 4” autonomy Besides vehicle development, several challenges regarding infrastructure and traffic rules still remain in order to realize “Level 4” autonomous driving in airport restricted areas. Particularly in restricted areas, generally there are no traffic lights at intersections and tall traffic lights may become a hazardous obstacle to aircraft in those locations . Regarding this point, it is still under consideration for how to ensure traffic safety using infrastructure and/or traffic rules. JCAB has set the target to realize “Level 4” autonomous driving both for towing tractors and for ramp buses by 2025, and continues working with the participants of demonstration experiments. Back to All JITTI Journals January 2023 Feature Article

Creating an Environment Where Foreign Visitors Can Travel Without Anxiety in Japan -Formulation of Glossaries and Guidelines for Creating Manuals to Assist Foreign Tourists in an Emergency- by Daisuke Takagi 1. Glossaries for managing foreign tourists in an emergency (1) Background Foreign tourists visiting Japan are often unaware of disaster responses in Japan because they may not face the same types of disasters in their countries. Therefore, even when disaster terms and evacuation procedures used in Japan are translated as they are, there is a problem that foreign tourists may misunderstand the "actions to be taken in the event of a disaster." The Japan Tourism Agency has been translating into multiple languages the sentences explaining necessary actions for foreign tourists to take in the event of a disaster, but these are not "easy-to-understand expressions" for foreign tourists who may lack prior knowledge of disaster responses. For example, there may be alerts and evacuation orders based on geographical knowledge and warning information that pertain to them, but even if they are told, if foreign travelers are unable to comprehend them, they cannot understand how to act. Against this background, the agency created a "Glossary of Terms in Communicating Expressions" aimed at translating emergency information into easy-to-understand expressions so that foreign tourists can understand the actions to be taken in an emergency. (2) Structure This glossary is composed of "expressions" and "terms," and include examples and words translated into multiple languages that are expected to be used at each disaster site. The examples are organized with a focus on "actions to be taken in the event of a disaster," which is important for foreign tourists. In translating, the agency considered foreign tourists who do not have knowledge of the disaster itself, and also considered the expressions foreign tourists usually use in their home countries. Regarding the translation of expressions, the agency shortened the previous expressions, reviewed the examples so that foreign tourists can understand the actions to be taken, and added new expressions necessary for dealing with the COVID-19 infection. 2. Guidelines for creating a manual for foreign tourists in an emergency (1) Background Many local governments in Japan lack resources, such as budgets and staff, for assisting foreign tourists in the event of a disaster, and there are issues, such as the lack of multilingual information provision. The Japan Tourism Agency has created guidelines for local governments to describe disaster responses to foreign tourists in their regional disaster prevention plans. However, some local governments do not prepare foreign tourists in advance of a disaster, and many local governments do not have a designated department to do so. Many tourism-related businesses do not have disaster response manuals for foreign tourists, and assisting foreign tourists in an emergency has become an issue. Therefore, with the aim of demonstrating more specific action policies for local government agencies and businesses that deal with foreign tourists in emergencies, the agency has created a guideline that can be used as a reference when creating and revising the "Manual for Foreign Tourists in an Emergency". (2) Structure This guideline is composed “for administrative / related organizations," which includes local governments and tourism-related organizations (Destination Management/Marketing Organizations (DMOs), tourism associations, hotel associations, etc.), and "for businesses," such as accommodation / tourism facilities, transportation companies, retail shops, etc. Since the roles of local governments and DMOs differ in each region, and systems vary depending on the local government, this guideline should be referred to and used to the extent that it can be implemented according to the actual conditions of each region. The contents to be included in the preparation of the manual for foreign tourists in an emergency are organized into four phases ((a) disaster mitigation, (b) preparation for crisis, (c) response to crisis, and (d) recovery from crisis). In addition, as a reference material for this guideline, a template for information transmission that can be used immediately in the field is attached. Examples of contents to be included in the manual: (a) Disaster Mitigation Calculation of the number of foreign tourists (preliminary confirmation of the number of visitors by country, language, religion, etc.) Determination of the status of disaster prevention facilities for foreign tourists (assessing the status of having multiple languages available at evacuation centers, etc.) (b) Crisis Preparedness Examination of attitudes toward foreign tourists in the event of a disaster (considering differences in the reactions of foreign tourists) Collection and preparation to provide information (Providing understanding of the multilingual information site of JNTO and each transportation system) Provision for multilingual support and evacuation guidance for foreign tourists (evacuation guidance in collaboration with the resident foreign community, etc.) Consideration and preparation for movement and return support for foreign travelers (confirmation of routes to international airports, securing means of transportation) (c) Crisis Response Creation of a list of foreign tourists evacuating to the area (sharing information with embassies and consulates in each country) (d) Crisis Recovery Dissemination of information on the reconstruction situation and foster a mindset for foreign tourists to return to Japan (disseminate information utilizing the foreign resident community, implement foreign monitor tours, etc.) Lastly, in the field of tourism crisis management, Dr. Sunkyung Choi of JTTRI (Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute), has conducted detailed research and analysis, including the evacuation behavior tendencies of foreign tourists during a large-scale earthquake. The research suggests the clear division of roles and cooperation between stakeholders, such as Japanese government, local governments, DMOs, and transportation providers. It also suggests that information providers should prepare materials with the foreigners’ knowledge level in mind, customize content to be foreign country-specific, without simply translating information from Japanese into foreign languages, and diversify information resources for wide information distribution considering that the sources foreigners use have varying degrees of reliability. Additionally, at the conclusion of the research she highlighted the importance of centralized information management, the need for a comprehensive approach to simultaneously consider evacuation plans and information provision for foreign tourists, and the development for “Tourism Disaster Information Management.” (If you want to learn more, please refer to “The 46th JTTRI Symposium on Research: Winter 2019” - https://www.jttri.or.jp/english/events/2019/sympo46.html#event_result . ) Back to All JITTI Journals May 2021 Feature Article

Back to All JITTI Journals January 2022 Cultural Article Nengajou: Japanese New Year’s Cards by Suzannah Nevas Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu . This seasonal greeting is one of several ways to say Happy New Year in Japanese. It is also commonly written on nengajou, Japanese New Year’s cards! Nengajou , like most things Japanese, are a cultural tradition imbued with aesthetic beauty and social etiquette. Billions of these New Year’s postcards get delivered every year on January 1st, filling recipients with renewed connection and gratitude for the many important people in their lives. The exchanging of New Year’s greeting cards originated with nenshi-mawari , the custom of spending the first few days of the New Year paying visits to friends, family and neighbors, expressing appreciation for kindness and help received the previous year, and setting the groundwork for another year of harmonious relationship. As the distance to travel for such visits became too great, missives were sent instead. During the Meiji Restoration period, the nengajou notes were replaced with more economical postcards. Nengajou were originally exchanged in Japan during the Lunar New Year. However, in 1873, they changed the tradition to align with the Gregorian calendar and now cards are promptly delivered every January 1st. Some traces of the original tradition remain though, for example, many images on the nengajou of today feature the zodiac animal corresponding to the lunar calendar. Example of 2022 card, year of the Tiger Other common motifs include kadomatsu (pine and bamboo arrangements), plum blossoms and the maneki neko (lucky cat). Lately, there is a similar trend that we see in the West to use family portraits for the image. Japanese calligraphy is also prominent. [Click here for JITTI USA's 2021 article on calligraphy]. There are often many nengajou design contests for kids and adults alike. Starting in December, you will see stands of different nengajou designs in places like stationary stores and post offices across Japan. You can purchase premade cards or create your own, and even if you buy their blank ones, the domestic postage is already included in the cost! If you are designing or embellishing your own, keep in mind that nengajou are postcards and aren’t sent in the protection of an envelope. Make sure they are flat and have durable, non-smearing ink. The text for your cards can be fairly formulaic: Open with one of the set phrases of New Year’s greetings, Make a note of appreciation for their kindness in the last year, Conclude with a courteous request for their continued support in the year ahead. The exact language of these components can vary with the formality or closeness of the person to whom you are writing. For cards sent to non-professional acquaintances, many take the opportunity to include life updates on different family members with their message. So who gets a nengajou ? Broadly speaking, anyone who has shown you kindness or cooperation in the last year, such as friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues. Practically speaking- you should send one to anyone who sent you one! For this reason, it’s always a good idea to have a few extra on hand in case you missed somebody. But be advised that social etiquette dictates that nengajou should not be sent to anyone who lost a loved one in the previous year, out of respect for their mourning. The Japanese Post Office plays a crucial role in the smooth operations of the nengajou custom. Starting in the middle of December, post office drop boxes will have a special slot marked for nengajou . Part of the magic of nengajou is that the post office will deliver all your cards together on January 1st. That’s right- they collect and hold all incoming nengajou for each household and then bundle them together and deliver them all at once on the first. For this reason, it’s important to mark the cards with “ nenga ” so the post office knows to set it aside. It’s also prudent to mail the cards before December 25th to make sure they arrive on time. Japanese Postal Service Drop Box The Japan Post even made a lottery out of the custom. Starting in 1949, otoshidama-tsuki yuubin hagaki (New Year’s Lottery Postcards) have come with a six digit lottery number in the bottom right-hand corner. Around the 15th of January, the hundreds of winning numbers are announced, with prizes like vacation getaways, large electronics, and even cash. Lottery numbers at the bottom of nengajou from 2010 (Japanese Postcards by Danny Choo) If you receive a nengajou from someone you didn’t send one to, you have until the results of the Otoshidama kuji (New Year's lottery) are announced to reciprocate. Next year, why not try out this tradition for yourself? References: https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/events/nengajouu-about.html https://www.japanese-wiki-corpus.org/culture/Nengajo%20(New%20Years%20card).html Image Source: Japanese Postcards by Danny Choo , licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Back to All JITTI Journals July 2023 Feature Article Japanese Government Initiatives for Inbound Tourism Recovery by Hirokazu Nishikawa Introduction Last October, during the Ministerial Conference on the Promotion of Tourism presided over by the Prime Minister, the government decided on a new "Policy Package for a Full-Scale Recovery of Inbound Travel." The government will mobilize all relevant ministries and agencies to implement intensive measures with the aim of achieving inbound consumption of over 5 trillion yen. The pre-Covid target was to achieve 15 trillion yen in inbound travel spending by 2030, and although the target has been reset to about one-third of the same amount, the government intends to take advantage of the weak yen to achieve the same amount as quickly as possible. In this report, I would like to provide an overview of the package. Contents of the Package The package has the following four pillars, which are listed below along with specific examples of each. (1) Providing special experiences Promote the provision of special experiences and limited-time-only activities throughout the country, such as the limited-opening of Himeji Castle's keep, which is a World Heritage site. The provision of special experiences and limited-time-only initiatives will be promoted in every corner of Japan. Other examples include the opening of the interior of the five-story pagoda at Myooin Temple in Hiroshima Prefecture and the opening of the Shosoin Temple in Nara Prefecture to the public (both are designated national treasures). Myooin Five-Story Pagoda 【 Reference 】 国宝 明王院 オフィシャルホームページ ( chisan.net ) Shosoin Temple 【 Reference 】 正倉院 - 東大寺 ( todaiji.or.jp ) (2) Providing new experiences that take advantage of the charms of nature Promote the provision of new content, such as adventure tourism, which refers to activities that allow visitors to experience nature. In national parks, promote nighttime use, etc., in order to expand the use of these parks. Nighttime walking event in Akan-Mashu National Park 【 Reference 】 KAMUY LUMINA ( カムイルミナ ) (3) Promote events as a hook to attract visitors Combine tourism with art, sports, theme park-related events, etc., to attract visitors from all over Japan. Japanese food and culture, international art festivals, and large-scale international sports events will be utilized. Ghibli Park 【 Reference 】 ジブリパークとは｜ジブリパーク ( ghibli-park.jp ) (4) Strategic promotion, CIQ (Customs, Immigration, Quarantine), etc. Strategically promote the restart of tourism in Japan using social media, TV commercials, etc. Also, promote the improvement of entry points into Japan, including by further upgrading the CIQ system, in preparation for the resumption of international flights. Conclusion According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2022 was approximately 3.83 million, a rapid recovery of more than 15 times compared to the previous year. Although still only 10% of the pre-Covid figure for 2019, further recovery in the number of foreign visitors to Japan is expected, supported by the impact of the yen's depreciation. The content of the package suggests that the Japanese government will develop a tourism strategy that makes the most of Japan's unique characteristics, and we look forward to this and will continue to closely monitor the Japanese government's moves to re-launch tourism. 【Reference】 001583431.pdf ( mlit.go.jp )

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