Focus is also given where there is a national need. For example, there are 9 container ports that serve Tokyo Bay and the Pacific Coast. Taking care of local consumption by container supply in time of disaster is critical. 25% of Japan's population or about 30 million are in the Tokyo region. The ports in Tokyo and Yokohama serve this population.41
The national government is also interested in improving functional aspects of the ports with labor saving technologies, especially at those container terminals receiving larger vessels of 6, 000-8, 000 TEUs, as well as reducing construction costs of large port facilities. Another measure of interest is an evaluation system for port technology that can be shared as “best practice.”42 There is also a need to develop gateway ports in each of 4 port construction districts - 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th.43 Hibikinada, which is continuing under construction (to be complete by 2003), is designed to be a gateway port for the Kyushu region. It is one example of a container terminal that is designed to be user friendly and low-cost.44 Dredging and fill is underway and new roads are being built. The long-term policies on port construction are implemented by the government based on which important construction areas are designated. Infrastructure construction is based more on local government initiative, but the question is how to coordinate planning nationally.45
In Japan, the national government sets up a plan, the local port develops the plan and the national government gives their approval.46 Small-scale development is up to the local port's own decision.47 Port planning is conducted by the port management body, however, evaluations on the demand forecast and appropriateness of the planning scope is given by the national government.48 The Port of Kitakyushu is building a new container terminal with several deep shipping berths. It is in an area of reclaimed land covering an area of 2,000 ha and is to be completed by 2003. They are developing it as “new terminal system” with land and berth provided by the public sector. The Third Sector will construct and maintain landside superstructure and CFS, with management.49 The new terminal is intended to provide the lowest port charges in the region while providing 24-hour, 365-day a year service with prompt, reliable, just-in-time, competitive operation.
Nagoya is adding two berths at Nabeta Pier to be competed in 2001 with 15 m depths to be leased - the question on one of them is to whom and how? One is to be a Public Corporation and the other is to be “New system” with infrastructure to be built by the public sector and operation is to be by the private sector. There are decisions yet to be made by the municipal government. At this point there is no relationship with a shipping company - it is left up to the municipal port.50. In Yokohama, they are building 4 new berths at Minami that will account for about 1/4 of the containers passing through the port. Two are to be 16 meters and two 15 meters in draft. Each berth will have a total area of 175,000 square meters with a quay length of 350 meters and an inward dept of 500 meters. Combining the berths will provide 19,000 TEU storage and the ability to service super-size containerships with carrying capacities of 10,000 TEUs.51,52
In Japan, in December of 1999 the MOT's Council for Ports & Harbor's submitted a report recommending that ports could not build terminals in the future without approval from national government and that funding for terminals would require special approval. The report also states that administrative measures are to be taken to: 1) Clarify national and wide-ranging regional plans in formulating port and harbor administrative policies; 2) Review the current classification of “important” harbors; 3) Clarify the demarcation of public works under the direct control of the national government; and 4) Review the financial burden to be borne by the national government, among other things.53
