Empirical recommendations based on case studies in Japan for sustainable innovative mobility in rural areas

Abstract

Several innovative mobility pilots have been launched in Japan to address the vicious spiral of decreasing usage, revenue, and attractiveness of rural public transport which would support the residents' daily lives. This research examines these case studies to discern measures for implementing sustainable innovative mobility in local areas that are integrated into a wider public transport (PT) network. The context in Japan is in contrast to Europe, in that the main providers of PT services in Japan are private companies. Examining the result of interviews with the planners and stakeholders of these Japanese initiatives, this paper recommends mobility planners consider several perspectives such as envisioning future area management, connecting private-sector invention and local public transport operators’ resources as well as other sectors, deploying technology that matches small area scale and user needs, integration into wider public transport network, for sustainable rural mobility.