Press Release

October 30, 2008
  • Environmental Policy

Opinions of the Minister of the Environment on the Environmental Impact Statement on the Kobe International Port City Construction Planning Road on the Seishin-line of the Osaka Wangan-line.

On October 30, 2008, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) submitted the minister's opinions on the environmental impact statement on the Kobe International Port City Construction Planning Road on the Seishin-line of the Osaka Wangan-line to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, in accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Law.

As viaducts and bridges in the planning road pass through the center and coast areas of Kobe port, the MOE made the following suggestions:

[1] Effectively improve the roadside environment of the existing trunk roads through smoothing traffic in cooperation with the road administrators.

[2] Use as many vehicles that comply with exhaust emission regulations as possible for the transportation of materials and equipments in the project.

[3] Take appropriate measures to control road traffic noise in cooperation with the administrators of the roads along the planning road. In addition, cover drainage pavement over the road and introduce better techniques to reduce noise as needed.

[4] Undertake a detailed design of the piers and, if some unpredicted sufficient environmental effect occurs, deal with it properly in cooperation with the relevant organizations.

[5] Forecast and evaluate effects to the landscape views from the city or the mountains by taking in the opinions of area residents during the implementation of the project.


For Japanese