(1) Basic Directions for Improving Ports and Harbours
In June 1995 the Ministry of Transport formulated "Ports & Harbours to Support the Age of Major Interchange: a vision named "Ports & Harbours to Support the Age of Major Interchange" for the creation of ports that are open to the world and support vitality" with a target year of around 2010,, setting out directions for long-term port and harbour policies in keeping with the mood of the new age. In line with the policy, the port and harbour administration will be promoted henceforth, for example by formulating the 9th 5-Year Plan for Port & Harbour Improvement (FY 1996 - FY2000).
These long-term port and harbour policies revolve around two core policies and entail important measures based on these.
The first core policy, "Forming a port and harbour network to support major interchange", has the aim of forming a port and harbour network that can achieve reliable and efficient interchanges of people, commodities and information in order to materialize a society of coexistence featuring energetic interchange with the countries of Asia and the rest of the world. To this end the Minis-try will improve regional ports and harbours that they can bear the role of international distribution, strengthen the competivity of international container ports, enhance the domestic distribution infrastructure, and reinforce overall network functions against disasters, as well as promoting interregional cooperation, based on the following measures:
?Improving regional ports and harbours for international distribution to support economic activities beyond national frontiers
?Strengthening the competitive power of inter-national container port functions within key international ports and harbours
?Enhancing a domestic distribution infrastructure that promotes combined, cohesive transportation by applying technical innovation
?Reinforcing the functions of port and harbour networks against disasters
?Promoting interregional cooperation that makes use of port and harbour networks
The second core policy is "Creating reliable spaces to support activity" which is aimed at creating port and harbour spaces that support regional activity and bring stability and reliance to the lives of local people, so that they can lead lives with tangible affluence. The Ministry will promote the enhancement of industrial spaces in coastal areas, the creation of rich spaces in which people can pursue recreational activities, the improvement of regional disaster prevention functions, creation of coastal environments, action against waste, and a reorganization of under- or unutilized coastal land into rich spaces, based on the following measures.
?Improving regional vitality and securing employment opportunities by encouraging a variety of industries
?Opening up popular waterfront spaces
?Forming a port and harbour system that supports regional activity and is strong against disasters
?Creating a coastal area environment that facilitates sustainable development, and taking action against waste
?Creating rich spaces by reorganizing under- and unutilized land.
(2)Basic Directions for Improving Seacoasts
Japan has an undulating coastline, the length of that coastline is very long, stretching to a total of about 35,000 km. The coastline of 4,480 km under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Trans
