Japan to Promote Health through Use of Bicycles

May 21, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's transport ministry has put together a draft plan for the wider use of bicycles, including health-promoting measures through the spread of related sports.

The three-year plan through fiscal 2020 will be adopted by summer after a public comment period, informed sources said.

It is based on a law to promote the use of bicycles, which was put into effect in May last year.

The draft sets out goals such as realizing a tourism-oriented country and a society where many enjoy healthy, long lives by creating an urban environment that accommodates the wider use of bicycles, an environmentally friendly means of transportation.

Other measures include preparing cycling lanes separated from roads and sidewalks, as well as establishing common lend and return systems for bicycle sharing.

The plan emphasizes the benefits of cycling to prevent lifestyle-related diseases and enhance the physical strength of children.

It will call for people to commute to work by bicycle. In addition, the government will provide opportunities to learn about related sports through events such as opening bicycle racetracks to the public.

As demand is growing for experience-based tourism, the draft also includes plans to improve infrastructure for cycling across Japan to attract more foreign and domestic tourists. Jiji Press