Latest news with #MLIT
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Japan designates two Hokkaido sites for offshore wind auctions
TOKYO, July 30 (Reuters) - Japan's industry and land ministers on Wednesday designated Matsumae and Hiyama, areas off the northern island of Hokkaido, as promotion zones for upcoming offshore wind power auctions, aiming to bolster the country's renewable energy goals. The government will develop guidelines for the use of the zones and launch a public tender to choose operators for energy projects, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) said in a joint statement. However, no timeline for the next auction was provided. Japan aims to have 45 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2040, which is essential to cutting the country's reliance on imported fossil fuels for power generation, reducing its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and bolstering national security. But progress has stalled following three major rounds of auctions. Trading house Mitsubishi Corp (8058.T), opens new tab, the winner in the government's first major auction in 2021, cautioned in February that surging costs had forced it to review its plans. Japan is likely to sweeten terms for developers to build a massive offshore wind farm sector, industry insiders say, as it looks to put its energy ambitions back on track against a worldwide slump of projects hit by soaring costs and delays.
2 days ago
- Business
Parcel Redelivery Rate Falling Slowly in Japan
A survey by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism found that 8.4% of parcels required redelivery. While this rate is on a downward trend, it will be difficult to meet the MLIT target of 7.5% in fiscal 2025. Twice a year, in April and October, the MLIT conducts a survey of the six major delivery companies to compile data on the quantity of parcels handled by each service center per month. There were 3.1 million parcels analyzed in the survey, of which over 260,000 were redeliveries. The redelivery rate decreased by 0.6 percentage points compared to the previous survey, conducted in October 2024. It was 9.3% in urban areas (down 0.8 point), 7.9% in suburban areas (down 0.5 point), and 7.0% in rural areas (down 1.1 point). The chart below shows how the redelivery rate has changed in recent years. In 2018 and 2019, the rate hovered around 15% to 16%, but it plummeted to 8.5% in April 2020, when people refrained from going out because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the rate rose after this, it remained relatively low and is falling again, driven by the diversification of delivery methods such as the use of delivery boxes. According to the MLIT, the volume of parcel deliveries in Japan has generally been on an upward trend, with the exception of the year after the 2008 financial crisis. In fiscal 2023, 5 billion parcels were handled, which is roughly the same level as the previous year. Data Sources (Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)
Hypebeast
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Japanese Government Releases Free 'Minecraft' Map
Summary The Japanese government has released aMinecraftmap modeled after one of its most renowned facilities. Dexertoreports that the free map was created by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). It's a reconstruction of the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel (G-Cans). The water infrastructure project was built to alleviate the overflow of water in the city's major waterways and rivers during heavy rain and typhoon season. It's also known as the largest underground flood water diversion facility in the world. The Minecraft map allows players to enter the G-Cans and explore the astonishing piece of infrastructure. The Japanese government explained that they created the map to educate players on infrastructures that help prevent disasters. 'We have realistically reproduced the huge shaft, epic-scale pressure-regulating tank, drainage pump equipment, and other features of the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel,' Japanese government officials wrote. They added, 'When designing the world data, we based it on actual blueprints and created it for Minecraft, pursuing realism. In addition, the game also includes ways to enjoy Minecraft, such as checking out places and facilities that are normally off-limits.' Construction of the G-Cans finished in 2006 with a total of five large concrete containment silos. These silos are connected by 6.4 kilomteres of tunnels located 160 feet below the surface. There's also a water tank that measures at 83 feet tall, and has 59 pillars connected to pumps. It can pump up to 200 metric tons of water into the Edo River per second. Check out the map on theEdogawa River Office homepage.
Japan Forward
27-05-2025
- Japan Forward
Spider Deployed for Disaster Relief Efforts
このページを 日本語 で読む On May 21, the Noto Reconstruction Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) unveiled the "Spider" to the press. The reconstruction team is now using this specialized type of heavy machinery to rebuild roads in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, following the devastating 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake and record-breaking torrential rains. Equipped with four agile spider-like legs, the machine can navigate sloped terrain. During the demonstration, it climbed over large rocks and even cut and carried fallen trees. "We aim to make full use of the Spider's superior capabilities to accelerate reconstruction," said Tatsuya Minamitani, Section 3 engineering manager at the Noto Reconstruction office. The Spider climbs over large rocks in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture. The Spider is unveiled to the press in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, on May 21. According to MLIT, there are around 20 Spiders in Japan. That includes units owned by private companies. Their interchangeable arms allow for various tasks, such as excavation and piling. They also came in handy for clearing tangerine orchards buried by landslides in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture, after heavy rains hit western Japan in November 2024. The Spider can also transport fallen trees. Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, on May 21. Author: The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
