Improvement of infrastructure and preservation of global environment

At the Kyoto Conference on Global Warming (COP3) held in December, 1997, reduction targets for emissions of greenhouse gases were established. The Japanese government drafted “The Fundamental Principles for Advancing Countermeasures against Global Warming” in June, 1998, and is now drawing up comprehensive policies to implement countermeasures against global warming by 2010. Japan has pledged to the global community a 6% reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases, and is now advancing comprehensive measures to attain this reduction steadily by implementation of all possible policy means. The government paper lists restriction of CO₂ emissions by improving transportation infrastructure and thus reducing traffic congestion as one of the countermeasures to be implemented. In Shimane Prefecture, a measure to secure smooth flow of road traffic and reduce consumption of fuel has been implemented by means of installing traffic signals coupled with crossing gates. The details of this policy implementation are described