National Aug 8, 2019
On March 29, planes will be able for the first time to descend and climb over densely populated Shibuya, Shinjuku and Shinagawa wards in Tokyo.
National Apr 5, 2019
Japan's land minister voids Okinawa's move to halt construction of U.S. base at Henoko
Land minister Keiichi Ishii said Friday that he has decided to nullify a move by the Okinawa Prefectural Government aimed at halting reclamation work for a planned U.S. base off the Henoko district in Nago. Last August, the prefectural government canceled the landfill approval made ...
National Oct 30, 2018
Minister suspends Okinawa's move to block Futenma base relocation
Land minister Keiichi Ishii opted to suspend Okinawa’s withdrawal of its approval for landfill work necessary for the planned relocation of the U.S.’s Futenma base.
National Jan 12, 2018
Japan rewrites tourism record after 28.7 million visited in 2017
Japan attracted a record 28.69 million tourists in 2017, up 19.3 percent from the previous year and the sixth consecutive yearly increase, the transport minister said Friday. "In 2017, there was a sharp increase in tourists from Asia, and we need to make more efforts ...
National Jan 10, 2017
Number of foreign visitors to Japan tops 20 million mark for first time
by Tomoko Otake
The number of foreign visitors to Japan hit a whopping 24.03 million last year, but the growth rate has started to slow down.
National / Politics Sep 25, 2016
G-7 transport ministers agree to bolster railway, airline sector cooperation
Transport ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies agreed Sunday to strengthen cooperation in the railway and airline sectors as they wrapped up their three-day meeting in the resort town of Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. Prior to the conclusion of the gathering, ministers from Britain, ...
National Sep 24, 2016
G-7 transport chiefs vow to take lead in promoting self-driving cars
Transport ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized countries agreed Saturday to reinforce international cooperation in creating safety regulations to promote self-driving cars. "We will cooperate with each other and exercise leadership to support the early commercialization of automated and connected vehicle technologies," a declaration ...
Business Dec 29, 2015
Japanese transport minister visits rail projects in Thailand
Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Keiichi Ishii visited Japanese rail projects in Thailand while en route from Laos to Japan on Tuesday, a Thai official said. During an unofficial two-day transit stop in Bangkok, starting Monday, Ishii was scheduled to meet Wuttichart Kala-yanamit, the ...
National Nov 9, 2015
Abe administration increases pressure on Onaga over landfill
Land minister Keiichi Ishii stepped up pressure Monday on Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga to retract his moves to block landfill work for the replacement facility for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. Ishii's move to issue an "instruction" to Onaga, which follows a "recommendation," is ...
National / Politics Oct 9, 2015
Technology key to clinching overseas projects, new infrastructure minister says
by Tomoko Otake
Japan should keep promoting its high technological standards when pushing for infrastructure projects overseas, despite a recent loss to China on bidding for Indonesia's first high-speed railway, the new land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister said Friday. Keiichi Ishii, 57, a Lower House member of ...