The infrastructure ministry will launch a subsidy project in fiscal 2025, which starts in April, to support the implementation of measures to prevent emergency transport road from collapsing.

The move comes after many roads built on piled-up soil collapsed after a powerful earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in January 2024.

Targeting expressway operators, prefectural governments and other road administrators, the ministry will intensively support collapse-prevention measures for emergency transportation roads, which are essential for rescue operations and transporting goods, with the aim of reducing damage in the event of disasters.

According to the ministry, there were 28 locations where roads built on piled-up soil collapsed on a large scale following the magnitude-7.6 Noto Peninsula earthquake. Serious damage occurred in places including where shallow valleys had been filled in.

In July last year, the ministry began nationwide inspections of roads constructed by piling soil 10 meters or more high and located in water catchment areas. It is closely examining places that require immediate measures by asking road administrators to conduct investigations.

Under the new project, the ministry will provide subsidies, at the rate of 55% of overall costs, to help cover the expenses for reinforcing roads at risk of collapse and improving drainage functions.

Following the Noto quake, the ministry has also been discussing a review of technical standards for methods for designing tunnels, bridges and other road structures, hoping to introduce the revised standards in the second half of fiscal 2025.