On November 20, 2020, MLIT published "The next targets in Basic Policy on the Barrier-Free Law (final summary)". These targets are set for the coming 5 years, as the current ones expired in 2020. This summary was made based on the professional and concrete opinions of academic experts, organizations of senior citizens and people with disabilities through the "Study Group on Barrier-Free Law and Related Measures" which was held 4 times per year from November 2019.

The scope of the next set of targets is very wide, including railroads, buses, taxis, ships, aviation, roads, city parks, off-street parking, buildings, traffic lights and barrier-free minds. For example, they include improving the numerical targets for the introduction of welfare taxis (including universal-design taxis) from about 44,000 to 90,000 vehicles and remodeling 80% of public buses to make them user friendly (up from 70%). In addition, this basic policy was created with a focus on the following points, from the perspective of further promoting barrier-free access in both tangible and intangible aspects.

• Further promotion of barrier-free facilities, including those in rural areas
• Clear positioning of the visualization of barrier-free progress related to hearing and intellectual, psychological and developmental disorders as a barrier-free index for passenger facilities and guidance equipment (equipment that provides information on operation status by text and voice, signs with guidance symbols, etc.).
• Further promotion of barrier-free community development by creating a master plan and basic concept.

The next target period is set as 5 years in order to respond more quickly to changes in the times, taking into account the planning and evaluation period of related measures, and also the influence of COVID 19.

For further information, please visit the following link (Japanese only):https://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/sogo09_hh_000260.html