Host: Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies
Pages 18
Japan was able to develop advanced transport system in a shortest possible time span, and the performance of the transport system is better than its OECD peers from the West especially in terms of desirable mode share structure in passenger transport. This was in fact achieved through deliberate policy initiatives made in the past. After reviewing intercity transport system in Japan along with emerging issues, this paper makes an attempt to draw relevant policy insights for Asian developing countries. These includes, setting basic institutional arrangement at the early stage, utilizing publicness and commercial viability inherent in transport services, placing cost burden to the beneficiaries, adopt principle of sustainable fare level rather than politically attractive but financially disastrous affordable fare, devise schemes to mobilize domestic saving for transport investment, and develop and use railway mode to serve as backbone of transport system.
