A report published by the National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management in July 2025, which investigates legal systems and advanced case studies on the coordination between transportation planning and urban planning in 15 countries across Europe, America, and Oceania, analyzing approaches to regional public transportation policy that contribute to realizing sustainable regional development strategies aimed at achieving Japan's Compact Plus Network concept.
Key Points
Background and Objectives of the Study
- In Japan, maintaining public transportation has become difficult due to declining demand for regional public transportation services, worsening business conditions, and shortage of personnel caused by population decline
- Compact Plus Network development is necessary for regional cities to serve as destinations for migration from large cities adapting to flexible post-COVID work styles
- Europe is actively working on regional public transportation revitalization initiatives centered on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP)
- This study aims to obtain insights useful for Japanese policy formulation from advanced cases in North America, Oceania, and Europe
Survey Countries and Content
- 15 countries surveyed over two years: France, Switzerland, UK, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, USA, Italy, Belgium, Canada, and Australia
- Final report focuses particularly on 5 countries: USA, Italy, Belgium, Canada, and Australia
- Detailed case studies of 4 metropolitan areas in the USA: Seattle, Portland, Austin, and Dallas
- Detailed case studies of 3 cities in Italy: Bologna, Florence, and Milan
Distinctive Initiatives in the United States
- While there is no federal-level land use and urban planning law, Washington and Oregon states have established coordination between transportation and urban planning through state laws
- Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) achieve coordination by complying with continuous and comprehensive urban planning processes established by state governments
- Promoting Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD), which adds the concept of equity to Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
- Developing urban areas conscious of diversity represented by Mixed Use
- Seattle plans to invest $148.2 billion in public transportation network development in its long-term plan from 2016 to 2046
Distinctive Initiatives in Italy
- Possesses systematic legal framework for coordination between transportation and urban planning
- Elements of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (PUMS) formulated by metropolitan areas are reflected in transportation and urban plans of each municipality
- Implementing combinations of policies including vehicle entry restrictions, road pricing, bicycle use promotion, and area speed limits (30 km/h)
- Successfully shifting mobility from private cars to public transportation, bicycles, and walking
- Bologna has implemented new tram lines, bicycle use promotion, and vehicle entry restrictions in city centers
Implications for Japan
- Many survey countries coordinate transportation and urban planning through national or local government legal systems
- Additionally implementing regional public transportation policies such as new light rail/tram construction and multimodal shift promotion
- In Japan, coordination between regional public transportation plans and location normalization plans is important, but coordination is insufficient in many municipalities
- It is important to advance both coordination in the planning process and coordination in plan content
- It is necessary to promote urban development that makes maximum effective use of transportation in the region
The article clarifies specific measures and legal frameworks for realizing sustainable regional development strategies through coordination between transportation and urban planning based on advanced case studies from Europe, America, and Oceania, providing fundamental materials that contribute to formulating Japan's regional public transportation policy.