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Japan may be one of the world’s largest automobile producers, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to get around the country by car. There’s a huge hurdle to hopping into your car and getting out on the highway for a weekend drive or family trip, which is that Japan’s expressways are extremely expensive. Want to take the expressway from Tokyo to Osaka? That’ll be about 12,000 yen in tolls, and, unless you’re planning on abandoning your car in Osaka, another 12,000 yen when you drive back to Tokyo.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though. In 2005, Japan’s expressways were quasi-privatized, becoming managed by stock companies with the Japanese government holding a controlling number of shares. As part of this restructuring, the government promised that, by the designated year, it would do away with expressway tolls, making them free to use.
Unfortunately, the government is now backtracking on that pledge. At a session of the House of Councilors on May 31, the attending members enacted the Revised Act on Special Measures for Road Development, which legally allows them to continue collecting tolls past when they’d said they’d be ended. The good news is that they’ve given the public plenty of advance warning about the extension. The bad news? The new deadline to end toll collection is the year 2115.
Yep, 2115. When the toll moratorium was first announced, expressways were supposed to become free to use by no later than 2055. In 2014, though, this was revised to 2065, and in the latest walk-back, the government decided to tack on another 50 years of toll-collecting privileges.
Even with a 42-year heads-up, an extra half-century of paying tolls is an idea that’s got the general public upset, as Twitter reactions in Japan are showing. Some people are able to calm themselves with the dry, grim realization that the government’s decision likely closes the door on them ever being able to drive on the expressway for free in their lifetime, so there’s not much point in worrying about it anymore, but others are still shocked to see the futuristic year 2115 show up in official legislation, and are saddened that they’ll still be paying to use the expressway when we were supposed to have much cooler things going on by then.
“I’m dead.”
“Free expressways in 2115? Yeah, I’m not gonna be in this world anymore by then.”
“If a kid is born today, he’ll be 92 years old when the expressways finally become free.”
“How come they’re still going to be charging expressway tolls then? Aren’t we supposed to have our flying cars by then?”
“2015? Are they serious? Geez, that’s even after Doraemon is supposed to be born.”
“Cyberpunk 2077. Free expressways 2115.”
As for why the government is extending the toll-abolishment deadline, according to recent reviews of expressway conditions, including its tunnels and bridges, and projects to widen certain sections from two lanes to four, are going to cost 1.5 trillion yen more than previously expected. That brings the total estimate for all projected maintenance and development work for the expressway network (including areas that are in good condition now but will need work done in the future) by 2115 up to 8.3 trillion yen, with the apparent prediction that not enough of that will be paid for by 2065 to stop collecting tolls.
There is a sliver of silver lining to the situation, in that the deadline extension is not yet a firm decision to continue collecting tolls all the way up to 2115. In technical terms, it only grants the government the power to extend the deadline past 2065, in increments, all the way up to 2115. That said, if the financials of going toll-free are already looking dicey 40-plus years ahead of time, it seems unlikely that the government is going to find a feasible way to end expressway tolls with just a few extra years past 2065.
Sources: NHK News Web, Kyodo, Twitter
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© SoraNews24
71 Comments
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MichaelBukakis
Almost spit my coffee on that one, keep it real LDP
bass4funk
Well, that’s great news to know and look forward to, finally! I can’t wait about time!
dagon
The LDP gerontocracy, with more unearned wealth and privilege than they know what to do with, thinks all that talk of a coming AI Singularity will give them access to that radical life-extension tech and they or their scions will be around to enjoy all those tolls and rents.
nosuke
Who cares I don’t think majority of us will witness that day
Capuchin
I told my great, great grandson the wonderful news but he wasn't too impressed. Apparently expressways have been obsolete for several decades since the introduction of autonomous, AI controlled, personal transport drones (PTDs for short). Expressways have long since been re-purposed as solar farms and bowling alleys.
JeffLee
This is why bullet trains work in Japan. The strategy is to unfairly punish the competition. This is why high speed rail isn't a good idea in most other developed countries.
Hiro
Is unbelievable expensive to actually manage roads and maintain it in good conditions. There was no way it would have ever become free anyway. Is just not feasible. Not unless the people in charge of it want to go into huge debt.
MarkX
I don't have a problem paying a toll to use the road, it is the high price. I loved it when the old DPJ were in power and they cut the price to all you could drive for either Y1000, or Y2000. It was fantastic, the roads were busy, they rest areas were booming, and I think a lot of people were getting out and discovering new places. Alas, these LDP cronies only see yen signs and want to soak the people for all they can get.
Yubaru
Like I have said repeatedly here. Once the government gets a hold of money from the tax paying public, they wont give it back, and will find what ever excuse necessary to keep it.
This is meaningless to people today, including the one's who are making this "promise", as none will be alive to see it happen, which is exactly what they are hoping for, no one remembering it, and in fact prices rising instead!
Aly Rustom
Japanese government promises expressways will be free by the year 2115
Of course they will. The nation will be extinct by then. DUH!
Gobshite
Oh good, I can't wait
spinningplates
Hahaha!! I'm gonna use this if my boss ever asks me if I'm free for Saturday work!
'Sure, I think I'm free in 2115!'
Mr Kipling
Any government promising anything in 90 years time deserves ridicule.
Moonraker
Originally, the expressway tolls were supposed to be removed once the expressways had paid for themselves. But a whole bureaucracy/quango had been created around them (probably full of amakudari chairs) and so they just went on collecting the money. And this, folks, is how things work. The LDP are in part dumb puppets that do the bidding of the bureaucrats. That's where you should mostly look.
Paul
LOL I'll be dead by then!
BigP
Ridiculous!
dan
Couldn't make this up !!! The LDP is just having a laugh at us !
Old Sausage
Thank you for the joke, bwahahahaha!
u_s__reamer
The LDP have just given me another incentive to live longer, but seriously, will 2115 just be pie-in-the-sky or the end of capitalism and the starting date of socialism in Japan?
wallace
2115, is that some sort of joke? Expressways won't be needed by then.
Antiquesaving
This has to be a joke!
Because of business I have to go to Osaka from Tokyo a few times a year occasionally I have no choice but to use the car to transport large antique items and several smaller to be restored.
But most cases it would simpler and a lot less tiring to take the train.
But I don't and here is why.
Cost! We go 2 people.
Car: tolls ¥12,000 going ¥12,000 return about ¥10,000 fuel total in travel ¥34,000
Shinkansen" ¥14,700 one way each 4 X ¥14,700=¥58,800
Instead of reducing or removing tolls in an insanely long time table, why not reduce the Shinkansen price now, reduce traffic, reduce the wear and tear on the roads saving maintenance cost, reduce emissions, etc...
I would rather take the train and avoid the 5 hour drive but that would considerably increase my cost which I have to pass on to my clients.
And before someone ask why the items cannot just be shipped, simple explanation of the type, time nature of the restoration, the fragility of many items would be far too risky to send by courier, most being irreplaceable.
Now for the icing on the cake, a round trip ticket on a discount airline Tokyo- Osaka is as low as ¥9,900 on Expedia but in reality ¥15,000 at pretty much anytime so why is the Shinkansen so expensive?
Hervé L'Eisa
Wow! Just in time!
Peter Neil
When you see them painting around the toll booths, you know the toll is about to go up. It’s so laughably consistent.
WA4TKG
“Roads ?; Where we’re going, we don’t NEED Roads”
wolfshine
Japan is a meme.
Legrande
When the toll moratorium was first announced, expressways were supposed to become free to use by no later than 2055. In 2014, though, this was revised to 2065
WELL DONE, ABE.
Harry_Gatto
I wonder, what is the annual cost of maintaining the expressway network and who would pay for it if there are no tolls being charged?
Derek Grebe
I will be 149 years old by then.
Probably still allowed to drive in Japan, though, because I will be so venerable, you see.
Hercolobus
Wow, I will not get to see it., And neither I think the World system will still be in place. A new World system will most likely be in place.
wallace
I have some oil for sale which will increase your life span to 2115 and I guarantee it with a money-back offer if it fails. Any takers?
Kenny
1st laugh if my day today!!!!!
joke of the century
garypen
Well sure. Flying cars don't need expressways.
Clay
Promises made, promises kept...Bravo!
Baradzed
Sounds about right given the shrinking and aging population. By 2115 most of Japan will be abandoned land, so no need for roads or highways.
Matt
haha this is amazing.....my great great grandchildren will be thrilled
Rodney
No mention that the highway infrastructure is older than 40 years (like NPPs), which means in the next 5-10 years it all needs to replaced. So 2135 is more realistic.
dan
Why don't they just say it will never be free.
At least that would be the truth.
gokai_wo_maneku
By 2115 I probably won't be here, and civilization will most likely have come to an end. A no win situation.
rainyday
Not sure I follow, people have to pay to use the shinkansen just like they have to pay to use the freeway, so how is one being unfairly punished at the expense of the other?
BlackFlagCitizen
Great! No one alive today will be around to see J-gov renege on that promise come 2115.
Gareth Myles
The government should be encouraged to apply such forward-thinking and advanced planning to other parts of the economy. It is always good to give people time to adapt before a policy change is implemented.
shogun36
idiots.
While they’re at it, why not charge the public tolls on using the sidewalks until the year 2269?
why not charge people for breathing in oxygen until the year 3987?
how about making people pay to think? But make sure they collect such tolls until the year 8743!
who’s coming up with this crap?
Algernon LaCroix
I'll add a clause in my will to have someone drive my remains along an expressway on the day they become free.
Phil
I have just added this date to my diary. Any news yet on who we need to complain too is it does not happen?
Mark
2115 by then we are all be gone, hopefully resting in Peace LOL, and no one will remember or hold the government accountable.
If the government is serious about it they should start now by making sections that has already been paid for and long over due FREEEEEE.
Mark
This must be the worst JOKE of the year.
Based
I'll be 140-something years old.
Wonder if I'll still have a driver's license.
Ah_so
The expressways are just insanely expensive, so we end up with a ridiculous situation whereby they hardly get used and then next to it you have an overcrowded kokudou. Make them cheaper and more will use them, freeing up the kokudou for local traffic.
John
this is the funniest news,, i have ever read that is not intended to be comedy. But it’s hilarious.
blue in green
Yeah, and who will hold them to account?
gonemad
Every 10 years the date is pushed back. First by 10 years, now by 50 years. So in 2033 it will be pushed back to 2365 and in 2043 to...
桜川雪
Quite sure a govt today cannot constrain a govt of tomorrow (though likely the LDP may still be in charge, so...). Perhaps a referendum?
桜川雪
It does seem to come from the Onion News.
桜川雪
Shhh! Stop giving them ideas
Mark
STOP using the Expressways and give the government the excuse to extend it to 2215.
桜川雪
2 people are in favour of govt overreach
kohakuebisu
I saw this on Twitter and assumed whoever posting it was the Japan version of "The Onion".
The expressways are basically a con. Their charter said they would be free once the toll revenue matched the construction cost, but Tanaka Kakuei took the tolls from the Tomei etc. and used them to pay for inaka expressways. This arrangement is called "pool-sei" in Japanese. The inaka expressways will never break even.
commanteer
The J-politicians are the funniest comedians on the planet. The only problem is... they are serious.
Sven Asai
Yes, of course, it’s free in 2115. But no one of us will use it then, as we all are already in paradise among streams of milk and honey, if the other promise also comes true. lol
kurisupisu
The public have paid for it and continue to pay for it.
It won’t stop being a money grab
However, I love being able to drive along fairly traffic free roads outside of GW and Obon
Alongfortheride
By 2115 there will be no need for expressways. Personal drones and aircraft is the way its heading.
sangetsu03
It’s the typical bait-and-switch plan used by governments forever. A number of highways in America were built, and they were to collect tolls for a number of years until their construction costs were recouped. But in no case I know of has this actually happened. Instead of abolishing tolls and maintaining highways from fuel tax and vehicle registration fees, the highways not only continue to collect tolls, but raise the toll prices. The fundamental issue is corruption, and with so much infrastructure spending absorbed in graft and red tape, it’s impossible to pay for its upkeep without tolls. Adjusted for inflation, many roads today cost much more to maintain than they did to build.
ok1517
Can hardly wait for that time to come!
But then again - 2115 that's another roughly 90 years!
Well, maybe I should get my body frozen or mummified to experience this great achievement
(those free highways, of course)! In the meantime I consider it a "Highway to Heaven".
Shirokuma4812
Does anyone remember when Abe made this one of his campaign promises? It lasted for about 2 weeks and then the fee came back.
Stephen Chin
Free? 2115?
That's a looooooooooooooooooog time away!
sir_bentley28
Welp......(sigh).....time to get back in the cryo chamber! 2115 you say? Ok! See you then!
Hikikomorii
Its because Japanese people would have solved population decline and have achieved immortality by then from eating rice on miso soup for breakfast.