The Japanese government is to create two mega-ports, labelling them International Strategic Freight Ports. These will receive priority funding to ensure that they become international shipping hubs. The first, Hanshin Port, will encompass existing activities at the ports of Osaka and Kobe, while Keihin Port will assume responsibility for facilities at Tokyo, Kawasaki and Yokohama.
Previous policy had seen the Japanese government spreading port investment across the entire national network, but in these cash-strapped times it is pursuing a much more targeted approach. As part of the development phase, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry looked at four possible priority projects, before eventually rejecting those at Ise Bay (Nagoya and Yokkaichi ports) and Hokubu-Kyushu (Hakata and Kitakyushu ports) for their poor rates of return.
However, the strategy of boosting a handful of Japanese ports to enable them to compete with other Asian rivals has been tried before. In 2004, for example, six ports, including Tokyo and Kobe, received the Super Central Ports designation, funnelling additional investment to them, only to find that existing structure inadequacies meant that competitors in the region continued to outperform these Japanese super ports.
Previous policy had seen the Japanese government spreading port investment across the entire national network, but in these cash-strapped times it is pursuing a much more targeted approach. As part of the development phase, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry looked at four possible priority projects, before eventually rejecting those at Ise Bay (Nagoya and Yokkaichi ports) and Hokubu-Kyushu (Hakata and Kitakyushu ports) for their poor rates of return.
However, the strategy of boosting a handful of Japanese ports to enable them to compete with other Asian rivals has been tried before. In 2004, for example, six ports, including Tokyo and Kobe, received the Super Central Ports designation, funnelling additional investment to them, only to find that existing structure inadequacies meant that competitors in the region continued to outperform these Japanese super ports.