Back to All JITTI Journals January 2020 Cultural Article Osechi: A New Year Tradition by Shuntaro Okimoto Happy New Year! This time, I would like to introduce the dishes that are eaten during the New Year holiday in Japan. Many people in Japan take about a week off of work or school for the New Year holiday. They travel to spend New Year's Eve, January 1st, and the following days with family and relatives living far away. As a result, traffic between urban areas such as Tokyo and the countryside is congested. Whether journeying on highways, high-speed rail, or at airports, this is the busiest time of year. I think it's like Christmas or Thanksgiving in the USA. When families and relatives gather, we eat some traditional foods to mark the season. The most typical Japanese traditional dish for the New Year holiday is “Osechi.” Osechi is a dish in which many types of food are packed in square boxes of lacquer ware. Have you ever seen a Japanese lunch box, called “Bento?” It's like a luxury version of that. In the past, Osechi was exclusively homemade, but now some people buy it at the deli. These lacquer boxes are stacked with traditional food inside. Unlike Bento boxes, these are only used during special occasions, such as for Osechi. Osechi has three features. The first is that many of the foods inside are very seasoned and especially sweet. It is said that this is because in Japan seasonings, especially sugar, were precious, and people used them extravagantly only during the New Year. The second feature is that the amount of food packed inside is large as a whole. If you see the quantity of food, you may think: Can we eat so much? Don't worry about that. Many of the foods in the box can be eaten for several days. Osechi is made with foods that have a long shelf life, so that everyone in the family can rest without cooking during the New Year holiday. The third is that the foods packed in Osechi are filled with wishes. For example, we eat caramelized shrimps, with the hope that we live long lives to the point where our backs bend like shrimp. We also eat stewed vegetables, with the hope that our families will always be together. This is a picture of typical food served in Osechi- such as the stewed vegetables on the right and shrimp on the left. Each item is carefully placed to be aesthetically pleasing. Osechi is a dish that even Japanese people only eat during the New Year holiday. So, even if you go to Japan, you likely can't eat it at Japanese restaurants. If you have the opportunity to go to Japan during the New Year holidays, you may be able to eat it in a limited number of restaurants or buy it at some delis. I want you to try traditional Japanese cuisine. I think you'll be surprised at how beautiful it looks and how delicious it is.

Back to All JITTI Journals November 2021 Cultural Article The Unknown Dinosaurs of Japan by Tetsuhiro Hagiwara When you think of the word "dinosaur," what kind come to mind? You may think of the major dinosaurs that you’ve seen in the movie "Jurassic Park," such as the most fearsome carnivorous dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus rex, which is known to everyone, Triceratops, which has three horns and can compete with carnivorous dinosaurs, and Brachiosaurus, one of the largest dinosaurs in the world, which stretches out its long neck to eat leaves from tall trees. Until recently, I was one of those people who only could recall these most popular ones, but my five-year-old son's fascination with dinosaurs gave me a chance to learn about Japanese dinosaurs, which I had never heard of before. I would like to introduce Japanese dinosaurs at this time. The most famous Japanese dinosaur is Fukuiraptor, which was discovered in Fukui Prefecture in 2000. The first dinosaur fossil to be found in Japan was of a Sauropod in Iwate Prefecture in 1978. Since then, there have been 9 species of dinosaurs, like Fukuiraptor, that have been given scientific names as endemic to Japan. Full-body skeleton of Fukuiraptor (on display at Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum). Image from Wikipedidia, フクイラプトルの全身骨格化石 is by Titomaurer In Japan, dinosaurs have been discovered one after another since 2000, and a fossil named "Yamatosaurus isanagii" in April this year (discovered in 2004) is now attracting attention from around the world as it holds the key to the evolution of dinosaurs that flourished for a long time. The fossils, including bones of part of the lower jaw, were discovered in a 72-million-year-old stratum in Sumoto City in southern Awaji Island. The maximum length is estimated to be about 8 meters and the weight about 5 tons. The Hadrosauridae, also known as platypus dragons, were the most prosperous plant-eating dinosaurs of the Cretaceous period, with flat duck-like beaks. Now, what's great about this dinosaur is that Yamatosaurus is a primitive species of Hadrosauridae, which emerged in the middle of the Cretaceous period (about 95 million years ago) and is expected to reveal the evolutionary process of Hadrosauridae. Compared to the evolved species of the Late Cretaceous period, the shoulder muscles were underdeveloped, suggesting that the transition from bipedal to quadrupedal walking occurred during the transition from primitive to evolutionary individuals. In other words, the change in walking style may have led to the expansion of their behavioral range, which in turn led to the diversification and prosperity of the species. The coastal areas of East Asia, including Japan, will be important in analyzing this possibility in the future. A fossil of a Yamatosaurus, which may have been a primitive species about 95 million years ago, has been discovered in a 72-million-year-old stratum. This suggests that the East Asian coast, including Japan, was a "Refugia," a region where species were able to survive in their original state. It is interesting to note that Yamatosaurus coexisted with evolved species for 20 to 30 million years without going extinct, and I am sure I am not the only one who thinks it is a dreamy story that its descendants thrived for 20 million years without going extinct. Yamatosaurus Image from Wikipedia, by Masato Hattori In July of this year, it was also announced that five eggshell fossils of theropod (bipedal carnivorous dinosaur) Troodontidae were discovered in the Tedori Group in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture. The fossils were found in the stratum of the Early Cretaceous Period, about 130 million years ago, and are believed to be the oldest dinosaur eggshell fossils in Japan. Since no bone fossils of the Troodontidae family have been found in the world so far, the research team of Tsukuba University, which discovered the fossils, said, "It is significant that we have shown the possibility of the existence of unknown dinosaurs in the Tedori Group.” Troodon and eggshell fossils from tsukuba.ac.jp Troodon and eggshell fossils from tsukuba.ac.jp As you can see, new species and world-class discoveries of Japanese dinosaurs are being made one after another, so why not keep an eye on them? As a side note, did you know that Japan has one of the world's three largest dinosaur museums*, the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum? My family visited the museum in the spring of this year with my son's enthusiasm. It was a wonderful museum where even non-enthusiasts could make fresh discoveries. The exhibition volume, including 44 dinosaur skeletons, is worthy of the name "World's Three Greatest Dinosaurs," and as it is a famous place for real-time fossil excavation, you can see the know-how of fossil excavation, actual work scenes, etc. Although it has been suspended due to the recent Corona pandemic, there are also event facilities nearby where visitors can experience fossil excavation and hotels with nice rooms called "dinosaur rooms." It is a funny story that our son, a few months after the trip, quickly switched his interests from his favorite dinosaur to Pokémon. *The rest of them are the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Canada and the Jigong Dinosaur Museum in China. References: https://japan-forward.com/japanese/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%81%AE%E3%80%8C%E6%81%90%E7%AB%9C%E6%99%82%E4%BB%A3%E3%80%8D%E3%81%8C%E9%9D%A2%E7%99%BD%E3%81%84%E3%80%80%E6%96%B0%E7%A8%AE%E3%80%81%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E7%9A%84%E7%99%BA%E8%A6%8B/ https://jurassicpark.fandom.com/ja/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%AD%E3%82%AA%E3%83%89%E3%83%B3\ https://note.com/sekaitravel/n/nd65c089b9b7c Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum https://www.dinosaur.pref.fukui.jp/ https://kyoryunomori.net/ Hotels with dinosaur rooms https://hnmamablog.com/2021dainaso-hotel/ Image Sources: Wikipedia , フクイラプトルの全身骨格化石 by Titomaurer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikipedia , Kamuysaurus japonicus by Masato Hattori is licensed under CC BY 4.0 Troodon and eggshell fossils from tsukuba.ac.jp

Back to All JITTI Journals January 2021 Feature Article Japan’s New Budget Proposal for FY 2021 by Tetsuhiro Nakagawa 1. Overview of the 2021 Budget Proposal Japan’s new budget proposal for FY2021 was decided by the cabinet in December of last year. In Japan, at the end of each year, the government decides its budget proposal for the next fiscal year, which starts from April. Budget proposals decided by the government are deliberated in regular Diet sessions convened in January of the new year, and are approved in due course by April if the process proceeds as normal. The total amount for the general account in the 2021 budget proposal is about $1 trillion[1] (106.61 trillion YEN), hitting a record high for the ninth consecutive year. It also exceeds over 100 trillion YEN for the 3rd year in a row. A demand for policy has been increasing in Japan, especially in the field of social security, such as public healthcare and pension systems, in light of the rapidly aging population. Social Security expenses account for about 54% of spending outside of debt payments and money transfers to local governments. Compared to the U.S., whose federal budget of FY2020 was $4.8 trillion, Japan’s budget is about one fifth that size, while Japan’s GDP ($5 trillion) is about one fourth of the U.S. GDP ($21.37 trillion. Nominal in 2019, World Bank data). [1] For the convenience of the reader, in this article, the dollar amount that has been converted from the original YEN amount, and is rounded based on the number of Japanese yen. Please note that it is not an exact number. Graphs by Tetsuhiro Nakagawa (JITTI USA) were made using data from Japan's Ministry of Finance The main features of this year’s budget proposal are as follows: The largest ever total number The largest amount ever of Social Security spending Stated above, the rapidly growing number of elderly populations has led the expansion of Social Security costs. The largest amount ever of National Defense spending It is up 0.5% from FY 2020 and has hit a record high for the seventh consecutive year as tensions within the region rise due to China’s growing maritime assertiveness and North Korea’s missile threat. The budget also includes the cost of strengthening capabilities in new domains, including cyberspace, outer space, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Addition of $50 billion to the reserve fund The government has reserved $50 billion for future responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The money, which can be spent without parliamentary approval, will allow the government to act swiftly when needed to contain the virus. Establishment of a “Digital Agency” The government will set up a new “Digital Agency” in September to expedite the digital transformation of government work and services. The Digital Agency will be established as a headquarters to strongly promote administrative digitalization in order to realize more efficient administrative management in the post-corona era. In addition to digitizing various administrative services, the agency will also advance online medical care and digital education. Furthermore, the mission of the agency includes popularizing the "My Number Card" to dramatically improve the efficiency of administrative services. The “My Number Card” can be used as an official identification card for verifying identity, and can make various administrative procedures more convenient, such as by allowing resident cards to be issued at convenience stores. It was introduced in 2015, but as many people have not felt the benefits, it has not yet become very popular. This image illustrating the "My Number Card" is from Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication . Revenue In light of the deterioration in corporate performance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, revenue for the 2021 fiscal year lowered approximately 5% ($60 billion) compared to the previous fiscal year's initial budget. In order to respond to the dual shock from both lower tax revenue and higher spending, the amount of new government bonds issued, which is to say the national debt, increased by about 34% ($110 billion) from the previous fiscal year to $436 billion. For Japan, which has been working to rebuild its finances, the increase in national debt is a first in 11 years based on initial budget figures. Graph by Tetsuhiro Nakagawa (JITTI USA) via data from Japan's Ministry of Finance 2. Budget Items related to Transportation and Tourism In the 2021 government budget proposal, the transportation and tourism sectors are summarized as related to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The MLIT's budget for the 2021 fiscal year consists of the following three pillars. There have been no major changes in the theme in recent years. 1. Ensuring the safety and security of the public 2. Achieving sustainable economic growth 3. Forming rich and vibrant regions and creating a multi-regional country In addition to traditional policies of advancing transportation infrastructure to support Japan’s economic and social activities, several new measures have been developed in light of the effects of the recent pandemic. The followings are excerpts of the MLIT's budget statement. 2. Achieving sustainable economic growth (2) (a) Promote digital transformation, technology development, work-style reform, etc. in infrastructure and logistics fields ($84 million / 8.4 billion yen) In order to respond to the novel coronavirus infection that has brought about an unprecedented crisis, various measures have been introduced to efficiently transform social capital and public services based on the needs of the people by utilizing data and digital technology in the infrastructure field. (Examples of measures) Improve productivity by promoting the digitization of passenger transportation business using ICT. Convert to a sustainable railway system through labor saving and efficiency improvement through the use of ICT. Construct non-contact and non-face-to-face logistical systems through labor saving and automation of logistic sites, etc. Improve productivity and strengthen international competitiveness of port logistics by digitizing port logistic information and linked data. Image Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Toursim of Japan (4)(a) Continue the “Go To Travel” campaign ($13 billion / 1,311 billion yen) Japan’s initiative to promote domestic travel, called the “Go To Travel” campaign, which was introduced in the supplementary budget for FY2020, will be extended through the FY2021 on the premise that both business operators and travelers should thoroughly implement measures to prevent the spread of infection. By responding flexibly depending on the state of the infection, a full-fledged recovery of domestic travel demand is attainable. Please also refer to our feature article, “ An Introduction of Japanese Tourism Initiatives During the Pandemic,” in the JITTI Journal’s November 2020 edition . 3. Forming rich and vibrant regions and creating a multi-regional country (2) (d) Promote the spread of next-generation mobility ($7 million / 700 million yen) In order to respond to structural changes in the movement of people and goods brought about by post-COVID lifestyles, Japan will promote the spread of next-generation mobility using new technologies, such as AI and IoT. (Examples of measures) Promote MaaS that responds to new needs, such as congestion avoidance, based on the spread of infectious diseases. Support efforts to establish technical requirements for the practical application of autonomous driving, develop standards for road spaces, and implementation. Promote measures to support the introduction of next-generation vehicles that contribute to the greening of regional transportation. Promote the development of an environment for the realization of visual flight of unmanned aerial vehicles. Promote the development of an environment for the social implementation of "flying cars" as a new business. Measures aim for a more green transportation network. Measures also aim for transportation modes to travel seamlessly in the future, as mobility options for goods and people advance 3. Supplementary Budget 2020 The expenses required for measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic, which is the most important issue for countries around the world, are mainly recorded in the supplementary budget for the 2020 fiscal year. The supplementary budget is constructed annually and, like the regular budget, is deliberated and approved by the Diet. In the 2020 fiscal year, three supplementary budgets have already been set to address the pandemic. These measures, some of which are in common with those passed in the U.S., such as personal benefits, loans for large corporations, assistance for small businesses, and subsidies to maintain employment, are implemented under the supplementary budget, as in the U.S. For reference, the total size of Japan's supplementary budget implemented in the 2020 fiscal year was about $730 billion (73 trillion yen). It was equivalent to 71.6% of the annual budget of about $1 trillion (102 trillion yen) and about 14% of its GDP. The U.S. has a total of just over $3.8 trillion from the first to the fourth round of economic measures, which amounts to 79.2% of annual budget expenditures and 18% of its GDP. It can be assessed that the US has taken measure to provide relatively larger financial aid to address the pandemic so far. Graph by Tetsuhiro Nakagawa (JITTI USA) Looking at the contents of the supplementary budgets of both countries, most of the expenditure items related to transportation are either measures to maintain the workforce in the transportation sector or measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in the sector. On the other hand, in Japan, the supplementary budget over the past three iterations have been characterized by not only the response to the current pandemic, but also measures for economic revitalization during a current or post-corona era, such as measures to make major changes by shifting into a digital society. It can be said that in this respect, these characteristics are a distinctive difference between the two nations. Society 5.0 is a national vision aimed at realizing a data-driven, human-centric society for future generations. It is a concept in which economic development, digitalization, and solutions for social issues are aligned. Image Source: The Government of Japan

Back to All JITTI Journals January 2018 Cultural Article Provincial city - Niihama (Ehime prefecture, Shikoku) by Shinichi Yamada Niihama city, located on Shikoku Island, is surrounded by mountains on its east, west and north sides, and faces the Inland Sea on its north. The population of the city is about 120,000 and the city is the sixth largest city on Shikoku. This article will introduce Niihama and the traditional culture of Niihama. It takes about 6 hours to travel to Niihama from Tokyo, and it is not easy to travel there from overseas. However, I would be very glad if through this short article you gain interest in Niihama and its regional culture. History of Niihama (Sumitomo Group and Besshi copper mine) In Japan, Niihama is known as the town where Sumitomo Zaibatsu (the predecessor of the current Sumitomo Group) established their foundation after they discovered the Besshi copper mine at the end of the 17th century. At that time, the Besshi copper mine was said to turn out the world's largest output of copper. Therefore, despite the fact that Niihama is inconvenient to get to, Niihama developed as an industrial city, and there are many main factories of the Sumitomo Group located in Niihama even now. The mine itself is now closed, but there is a sightseeing spot built to commemorate it. We can learn about the mining history of the Besshi copper mine, and also enjoy the hot spring and local foods. Traditional Festival (Taiko-dai Carnival) The Taiko-dai Carnival, one of the three biggest festivals in Shikoku, is held every October and more than 100,000 tourists visit. "Taiko" means drum and "dai" means cart in English. The origin of Taiko-dai is unclear, but it is said that the cart that carries offerings in order to thank God for the blessings of nature. The carts are about 6600 lbs, 16 ft tall, and 40 ft in length. During the festival, 150 people carry it throughout the town while beating the drum placed inside of the taiko-dai structure, which is hollow. Each area of Niihama has its own Taiko-dai, and there are 53 Taiko-dai total in Niihama. (Taiko-dai) One of the highlights of the festival is called "Kaki-kurabe". Multiple Taiko-dai are gathered together and lifted with human power only. Each area competes for the strength and harmony of the bearers. Sweets originated in Niihama (Hatada Marron Taruto) Hatada Marron Taruto is like a roll cake covered in a citrus-flavored bean paste with chestnuts, wrapped in a sponge cake. It is said that the origin of this sweet is a torta (a roll cake wrapped in jam in Castella) which came from Portugal to Japan about 350 year ago. The jam was changed to bean paste, and current roll cake was developed. This roll cake is a Japanese-style confectionery and has an elegant and rich taste. It is slightly sweet because of citrus flavor in the paste. It has been awarded the High International Quality Trophy in the Food products Selection every year since 2006. Like various countries, each town in Japan has an individual history and culture. Niihama is not a famous city even in Japan, but I think my hometown is a wonderful city with its own culture. Did you get interested?

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

Research Reports Topic Area Reset Surface Transportation March 2024 Survey of Smart City Trends in the West: Transit-oriented Development and Mobility-as-a-Service Part 7: Case Study – Paris, France(2) Final Report By Akito Okabe Maritime Transportation February 2024 Polar Command: The Evolution of Arctic Policy in the United States Coast Guard By Daisuke Komatsu Surface Transportation January 2024 Survey of Smart City Trends in the West: Transit-oriented Development and Mobility-as-a-Service Part 6: Case Study – Paris, France (1) By Akito Okabe Maritime Transportation December 2023 Event Report: THE REVENGE OF ENERGY SECURITY By Daisuke Komatsu Maritime Transportation November 2023 A Study on International Politics Surrounding the Arctic Sea Routes By Daisuke Komatsu Civil Aviation The Federal Aviation Administration and Industry's Work on Advanced Air Mobility By Shinichiro Tsuri Maritime Transportation The Impact and Challenges on the Maritime Industry in the Wake of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine By Daisuke Komatsu 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ... 11

< Back Civil Aviation The Aviation Industry's 2020 Full-year Forecast and 2021 Outlook -As Detailed in the IATA Annual Meeting Report- By Daisuke Takagi At their 76th Annual Meeting, the International Air Transport Association made predictions of a continued difficult 2020, but some upswing in 2021. With the Covid-19 pandemic still causing hardship on the aviation industry, read more on how they came to this conclusion, and what recommendations were made to combat recovery challenges. Downlod the Report

< Back Civil Aviation The Federal Aviation Administration and Industry's Work on Advanced Air Mobility By Shinichiro Tsuri The Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee comprised of leaders in airport communities, local governments, air traffic controllers, academia, traditional manned aviation operators, UAS manufacturers, operators, and those with a background in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) was established to provide advice and recommendations to the U.S. DOT and FAA. Attending a recent meeting of the Committee, the author writes on the focus of the meeting and recommendations. Downlod the Report

< Back Tourism & More Introduction of “Travel in the New Normal - Industry Guidance for Promoting the Health and Safety of All Travelers” by the U.S. Travel Association By Daisuke Takagi The US. Travel Association has issued guidance for the travel industry in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic. JITTI staff member, Daisuke Takagi delves further into the guidelines in this report. Downlod the Report

< Back Surface Transportation Survey of Smart City Trends in the West: Transit-oriented Development and Mobility-as-a-Service Part 4: Case Study – Washington DC (1) By Akito Okabe The Greater Washington D.C. region has a history of Transit-Oriented Development, and there is continued interest in the region to expand walkability to areas around stations. Downlod the Report

< Back Surface Transportation Survey of Smart City Trends in the West: Transit-oriented Development and Mobility-as-a-Service Part 1: Background and Purpose of this Survey By Akito Okabe This report is the first in a series on emerging Smart City trends in the West, outlining the history and relationship between Transit-oriented Development (TOD) and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and other emerging mobility services that are being applied in order to create sustainable cities based on public transportation. Downlod the Report

< Back Surface Transportation Overview of the CONNECT NEC (Northeast Corridor) 2035 Outline By Akito Okabe Read about the 2035 plan for the busy section of railroad between Washington D.C. and Boston known as The Northeast Corridor. By investing $117 billion, the plan aims to add transportation services to new regions, increase the number of transportation units, and shorten travel time by 2035 Downlod the Report