As a new infrastructure maintenance policy, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is supporting the introduction of ``regional infrastructure group resilience strategic management (gun management). )'' for small cities. By considering the entire infrastructure in a given area spread across multiple municipalities as a "group" and managing it in an integrated manner, it compensates for the decrease in city budgets and manpower allocated for infrastructure maintenance. We will select model areas to introduce new group management and engage in cutting-edge projects, and provide technical support for plan development. We will share initiatives in each region with experts and explore the challenges of horizontal expansion across the country.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the majority of Japan's infrastructure is managed by municipal governments, but they are facing staff and budget shortages due to Declining population, falling birth rate and aging population. Therefore, building a maintenance management system has become a problem. Therefore, in December 2022, the technical subcommittee of the Council for the Development of Social Infrastructure (the advisory body to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) and the Council Transport Policy (also), discussed the ideal form of infrastructure. maintenance policy, decided to discuss Saito and proposed to introduce group management to Tetsuo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
The newly established Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism ``Methodology Research Group for Developing Regional Infrastructure Regeneration Strategic Management Plan'' (led by Hitoshi Ieda, Special Professor at the National Institute for Policy Research) and the ``Regional Policy Research Group chaired. Infrastructure Renewal Strategy'' as an assessment system to disseminate group management in each region. The Strategic Management Implementation Methodology Research Group (chaired by Kazumasa Ozawa, Professor with Special Appointment, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo) was launched.
The first meeting of both conferences was held jointly in Tokyo on August 31. Mikio Yoshioka, Technical Director of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, delivered welcoming remarks and said: ``It is important to implement pioneering infrastructure management and replicate it across the country. I want to discuss from many different perspectives how to create a plan and how to execute it.”
The Group Management Plan Methodology Evaluation Committee supports the development of group management plans for model areas. Ultimately, the goal is to summarize what needs to be included in the plan and what needs to be considered, and to create a guide that will serve as a guideline for city governments. The Group Management Implementation Methods Research Group provides advice on ordering methods, market research etc. to model areas that are considering comprehensive outsourcing of infrastructure to the private sector . Based on this, we aim to revise the guidelines on the application of comprehensive private contracting.
Model regions will be referendum in September and between 3 and 5 regions will be selected. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will dispatch consultants to selected areas to assist in organizing infrastructure information and examining business options. The expected support period is one to two years.
