15:44 JST, June 23, 2024
A panel of experts from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has proposed the development of automated logistics links that transport goods across central reservations or through underground tunnels along highways.
The panel has been discussing the new logistics system since February. The ministry aims to complete the project, with a route between Tokyo and Osaka, as early as 2034, according to a draft interim report unveiled on Friday.
The number of small parcel deliveries has doubled over the past thirty years due to the rise of online shopping. It is estimated that by the year 2030, approximately 30% of packages will not be delivered due to labor shortages.
The panel estimates that automated logistics highways could cover the amount of freight moved by the equivalent of 25,000 truck drivers per day. Pallets would be used that can carry up to one tonne of small cargo, such as agricultural and maritime products and daily necessities.
The biggest challenge is the costs. According to a survey of construction companies, the cost of building an underground tunnel ranges from ¥7 billion to ¥80 billion per 10 kilometers, so a system connecting Tokyo and Osaka would cost up to ¥3.7 trillion. When the ministry first planned above-ground logistics links in 2000, it estimated construction costs at ¥25.4 billion per 10 kilometers.
The plan calls for discussions on using the private sector to finance the project, along with the creation of an organization that would allow a wide range of companies to participate in the program.
“[The project] will not only address the logistics crisis but also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Minister of Lands, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tetsuo Saito. “We would like to move forward with discussions on this matter quickly.”
