Japan to stop focusing on public works cost effectiveness

Draft guidelines list expressways and some shinkansen lines as key areas of focus for infrastructure development. The government plans to stop putting too much focus on cost effectiveness when assessing the feasibility of public works projects, sources said Monday. The government will shift its focus to an overall assessment that places an emphasis on basic functions to protect lives and livelihoods, under annual guidelines for economic and fiscal reform policy, due out next month. Draft guidelines list expressways, some shinkansen lines and the planned Chuo Shinkansen high-speed magnetic levitation train line as key areas of focus for infrastructure development. The government will accelerate its push to build what are known as autoflow roads, or dedicated road lanes used by automated vehicles to transport goods. It will also promote the use of robots that can operate autonomously at construction sites to address labor shortages.