What kind of deregulation is being introduced for land transportation of maritime containers? 

For vehicles carrying maritime containers, deregulation on height and weight of vehicles is being promoted.

1. Since April 1985, 4.1m vehicles carrying maritime containers of 9 feet and 6 inches in height can travel by obtaining a permit for designated routes in advance.

Moreover, the maximum height of vehicles that travel on the roads specified by the road administrators and the prefectural public safety commissions was raised to 4.1 m in February 2004. Such vehicles are able to pass through without permission. (Total length of road with specified limit for vehicle's height extends to about 34,100 km as of April 2005.)

2. For weight, it is possible for fully loaded vehicles up to 44 tons or less to travel by obtaining a permit as follows.

1) The full loading traffic is possible depending on the shaft etc. of vehicles for containers of 20 feet in length (including tank-containers of maximum weight 30.48 tons) and of 40 feet in length in national expressways and specified roads for weight limit (about 53,100 km as of April 2005 including national expressways and specified roads for weight limit).

2) Besides the above-mentioned roads, the full loading traffic is possible on the road connecting to the above-mentioned road when the road administrator gives respective permission that there is no problem to maintain the road structure or prevent traffic danger.