On December 2, 2022, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) held the first "Roundtable Conference on Universal Design of Road Space" in FY 2022.

The roundtable conference was established in 2000 when the Barrier-Free Transportation Act was enacted and has been held as necessary. The conference was resumed this year after being last held in 2020. The theme for FY2022 is to study measures for guiding visually impaired persons at railroad crossings, etc., which were left out of the "Guidelines for Facilitating Road Mobility, etc." revised in June 2022.

The specific issues to be discussed are as follows:

1. The structure of "uneven surface signage, etc." to be installed at railroad crossings
2. Materials for the road surface at railroad crossings (specifications to be different from those of surrounding roads)
3. Review on how to install tactile guiding blocks at the boundary of the pedestrian and vehicular roadway where there are railroad crossings
4. Guidance for the visually impaired on roads without sidewalks

In February 2023, a draft revised guideline will be prepared for public consultation, and the guideline will be revised within FY2022.

For more information, please visit the website below:
https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/ir/ir-council/universal-design/