Public Involvement in Japanese Transportation Decision Making

Abstract

The context for public involvement in Japan has undergone a major change in the last 10 years. Legislative mandates, actions by various public interest groups, initiatives by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MLIT) and a research group, and research by news organizations and academic institutions have begun to erode the longstanding reluctance of government agencies to seek public engagement in the development of major infrastructure projects. The factors driving these changes are explored, the recent development and delivery of a public involvement training course for MLIT staff in Japan by a team of Japanese and American consultants are described, observations and lessons learned by the trainers and the course participants concerning differences in conducting public involvement in the United States and Japan are discussed, and suggestions are made for steps for implementing public involvement as a routine part of infrastructure development in Japan.