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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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Back to All JITTI Journals May 2020 Feature Article 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 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.

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Initiatives to Relieve Congestion in Japan's Rail Industry by Akito Okabe Introduction While railroads play an important role as a mode of transportation in Japan, urban rail congestion has long been a serious social problem. It may be surprising to learn that the average congestion rate for major Tokyo-area railroad sections in FY 2019 was 163%, with the most congested section reaching 199% 1) . The congestion rate is an index of congestion calculated by dividing the number of people transported by the transportation capacity 2) . As a guide of congestion rate Image Source: Association of Japanese Private Railways Although congestion rates have recently declined temporarily due to the pandemic, it continues to be an important issue against a backdrop of increased hygiene awareness and new ways of working through teleworking. For a long time, Japan has been trying to relieve congestion rates by shortening operating intervals, adding more tracks, and other large-scale construction projects. In recent years, Japan has also been focusing on new initiatives such as a "Train crowd measurement system" that utilizes digital technology. This article introduces some of the advanced efforts in the Japanese railroad to relieve congestion. Train Crowd Measurement System In the Tokyo area, the provision of congestion information on official apps and websites of railroad operators has been in full swing since around 2015. This article introduces Tokyo Metro's real-time ‘train crowd measurement system’ for each train car. Tokyo Metro has been distributing real-time congestion information for each train car on the 'Tokyo Metro my!' app since July 2021. According to Tokyo Metro, by distributing real-time congestion information for each train car, the system enables "safe and comfortable use" tailored to individual customers' needs, such as "which train car is relatively empty?" and "which station will be least crowded to board a train?" In addition, this service has been used by many customers, reaching approximately 50,000 times in the month and a half since its distribution began in July. It is very difficult to calculate congestion in real time, but by utilizing the ‘train crowd measurement system’ that uses a 'depth camera' to acquire depth information on in-train congestion, it is now possible to distribute real-time congestion and congestion forecast information regardless of car type, according to the company. The above figure is reprinted and translated from the Tokyo Metro Co.,Ltd. website. Off-Peak Point Service A service that rewards customers with points as an incentive for off-peak commuting is another initiative that Japanese railroad operators are focusing on to relieve congestion. JR East, Japan's largest railroad company, has launched a point service on weekday mornings as an initiative to support staggered commuting by SUICA 3) commuter pass holders. If you enter a station in the target area during a time period eligible for point redemption and then exit at a station in the target area, points are redeemed. Image Source: JR East An illustration of this is shown in the image above. For example, if the peak period is from 7:00 to 7:30 a.m., passengers can earn 15 reward points if they ride from 6:00 to 7:00 a.m. during the "early bird period" before the peak period. If they ride between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. after the peak period, they will earn 20 reward points. The rewards can be recharged to IC cards and used as train tickets, or used for shopping at JR-operated commercial facilities. Currently, the program is being offered for a limited time from March 15, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Conclusion As in Japan, people in the U.S. are becoming more hygiene-conscious, and providing information on train congestion is a topic of great interest. In addition, since staggering morning and evening peak hours can also help railroad companies reduce the number of train cars and staffing required during peak hours, contributing to cost savings, we believe that efforts to promote off-peak use can be a useful reference for the U.S. railroad industry. Currently, the Japanese and U.S. railroad industries are facing a difficult situation due to the pandemic, but it is important to promote new approaches flexibly in accordance with changes in people's needs. References: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism website https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/tetsudo04_hh_000095.html Japan Private Railway Association website https://www.mintetsu.or.jp/knowledge/term/16370.html JR East's IC card can be used for trains, buses, shopping, etc. Image Sources: Association of Japanese Private Railways Tokyo Metro Co.,Ltd. JR East Back to All JITTI Journals March 2022 Feature Article