Two-thirds of governors still want generous road funding

Thursday 22nd May, 04:21 AM JST

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12 Comments

Simon_Foston at 09:02 AM JST - 22nd May

The governors, from prefectures including Hokkaido, Yamagata, Kochi, Miyazaki and Okinawa, appeared particularly vocal in their demands for more road-building subsidies because their areas’ highway networks are quite underdeveloped compared with those in other prefectures.

That's their own stupid fault for spending the last 60 years wasting everyone's money. Anyway, considering how underpopulated the countryside is getting I don't see what the problem is. If they were to say that the roads they have are inadequate for the volume of traffic and it's causing big jams and delays, that would be different.
thundercat at 04:52 PM JST - 22nd May

two-thirds of governors receiving kick-backs from road construction firms...
blvtzpk at 08:30 PM JST - 22nd May

The governors...appeared particularly vocal in their demands for more road-building subsidies because their areas’ highway networks are quite underdeveloped compared with those in other prefectures.

Expressway envy? "Mine's longer, wider, faster and harder than yours!"
DXXJP at 05:16 AM JST - 23rd May

yeah they need more roads to nowhere. Ever see that hiway in hokaido maybe two or three cars a day travle it. Yeah great nessesity, more like my yak buddies in the construction business need a few more jobs. How they can lie right to your face. Also ever notice how no construction begins until November, December its so they can get paid on the year end and also get the deposit on the year begining. A friend of mine builds roads here in japan throw a little sochu in him and he sings like a bird.
illsayit at 09:00 AM JST - 23rd May

Roads, what is a road? It is a connection between people, whether you travel it by car, foot, horse etc. If like in China, there is a large scale catastrophe, or lets just say the gasoline runs out and there is no more cars. I personally would love a nice straight road to go get supplies than having to travers Japans mountains and wildlife.

I like the idea of roads.
thepro at 12:53 PM JST - 23rd May

Yeah, roads - right guys? wink wink
illsayit at 02:19 PM JST - 23rd May

If you be such the pro, could you not use a little more words?

Are you referring to the amount?

Well I guess the Japanese do deserve some of their tax money, say rather than contributing to a war in some other country.
illsayit at 02:27 PM JST - 23rd May

I do agree that the costs are a little overboard, however to deny the right for tax revenues for roads is silly. Fiscal empowerment of local authorities is good. I dont see how pouring money into education and health will change anything.
Simon_Foston at 11:27 PM JST - 23rd May

I dont see how pouring money into education and health will change anything.

Let's see... they could have more teachers, smaller classes (generally considered to be a good idea by anyone who actually knows anything about education), more doctors, more nurses, and more hospitals in rural areas where they're desperately needed. Or they could have more half-empty expressways.
illsayit at 09:11 AM JST - 24th May

So monies should be spent on keeping everyone crowded together, and then education could get the support of all social issues like the kids who are futoko and need medical outside help, more teachers for the declining population, and classrooms being supported for kids that arent there. Health, would that include the upkeep of public hospitals that just to be able to open the doors to again, the people that arent there, needs monies. The ability for so called corruption is still there.

The roads do keep the option open to develope outwardly. However I do think they are a little over-priced, but certainly strong structurely. I do think there is wasted money too, but the issue to spend on roads is correct IMO. Same as health and ed. I really like the idea of more local fiscal empowerment though.
DXXJP at 05:19 AM JST - 25th May

Sorry do any of you own a car. Do you know what they take on the inner and outter in tokyo every day. Here it is around 7 mill US give or take a few hundred. Do you know what they take in on the tohoku or the tomei say over golden week or obon. I live in tochigi and from Urawa interchange all the way to koroiso is bumper to bumper traffic of people just trying to cross threw the gates. People are still paying for something that was suposed to be paid for in 20 years 20 years ago. All this road tax money is being slushed around to yak owned and ran construction CO's with kick backs to the same people wanting more.

Yes more then two hospitals in my area would be nice, with a doctor and a nurse there too.
capone at 06:39 PM JST - 27th May

blvtzpk : in japan, its never longer/wider/harder than anyybody's