Sustainability of Japan’s Transport Sector

The transport sector is an integral part of tourism industry and also essential for people’s everyday lives. There are three major means of transport namely by air, by land and by sea. Of these, transport by land can be categorised into transport by rail and that by road. Across the world, railways are generally seen as the most eco-friendly transport mode except bicycles, whilst flights are often criticised as the least eco-friendly transport mode. However, it should be noted that tourism is often a main industry for many small island developing countries, and international flights and airports are essential for their tourism industry. It should also be remembered that overall the environmental sustainability of all types of transport mode has been improved mainly thanks to diverse advancements in transport technology even regarding flights. A satisfactory level of access to regular transport services, especially local train and/or bus services, is crucial to maintain the socio-cultural sustainability of local communities, and this is especially important for urban areas of Japan. On the other hand, highway networks are vital for the socio-cultural sustainability of rural areas of Japan. The economic sustainability of Japanese companies/organisations running transport services, particularly international ones, have been hugely damaged due COVID-19, although various measures have been adopted by these businesses and financial supports have been offered by the central and local governments.