TOKYO REPORT: Japan to Broaden Use of ETC Data for Disaster Response, Tourism

Tokyo, Dec. 15 (Jiji Press)–Data from Japan’s next-generation electronic toll collection system, known as ETC 2.0, are coming into broader use across the country. Unlike the conventional ETC system, which is limited to automatic toll payments, ETC 2.0 records and visualizes detailed driving histories of vehicles equipped with onboard units. The data include travel routes as well as patterns of acceleration and deceleration. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism aims to harness this large-scale data for a variety of public and economic purposes, including easing traffic congestion, improving disaster response, strengthening tourism measures and supporting logistics operations. The ETC system enables information exchange through two-way wireless communication between roadside equipment and in-vehicle devices. Data collection using the ETC 2.0 system began around 2014 under the direction of the ministry. As of April 2025, roadside units had been installed at about 4,200 locations on expressways and on national government-managed roads, providing drivers with real-time information on accidents, congestion and other traffic conditions. In the areas of the Noto Peninsula struck by the powerful earthquake in January 2024, mobile roadside equipment was deployed to monitor road conditions. The driving data collected from the equipment were used to determine which roads were passable and identify detour routes, helping to create an online map visualizing the progress of road restoration. This map enabled users to check the status of emergency repair work and current traffic conditions. Utilizing up-to-the-minute congestion information, authorities also asked ordinary drivers to avoid nonessential travel and other unnecessary movements. ETC 2.0 data are also used to address traffic congestion around tourist destinations. In February 2025, for the first time, the data were applied to analyze congestion on nonexpressway roads and around locations where vehicles tend to stop, with the results shared with drivers. By comparing congestion levels on weekdays and holidays, service operators identified particularly crowded areas in each prefecture and displayed them on a map. This service has supported discussions on measures to ease congestion, such as securing transportation options other than private vehicles, including rental bicycles, and introducing dedicated right- and left-turn lanes at intersections that frequently experience traffic jams. Furthermore, ETC 2.0 data enhance vehicle operations management for logistics service providers. Operators receive information such as vehicle locations, travel routes and areas where sudden braking frequently occurs. They can use the data for more efficient vehicle dispatch planning, more accurate arrival time forecasts and initiatives to promote safer driving. These efforts have already been reported to yield benefits, including shorter cargo waiting times. A key challenge is the uneven availability of data. As few roadside units have been installed on prefectural and municipal roads, information is scarce in rural areas, particularly on peninsulas, according to transport ministry officials. To address the issue, the ministry is reviewing spacing of roadside equipment and how to take into account the specific needs of individual local governments when existing roadside units reach the time for renewal. A ministry official expressed hope that, by involving local governments in the process, these data imbalances can be reduced. The rollout of ETC 2.0 is still only halfway complete. As of August, 90 pct of vehicles using expressways relied on the ETC system, but less than 40 pct of those were equipped with ETC 2.0 devices. Due to the higher cost of in-vehicle ETC 2.0 devices compared with conventional ETC models, expressway operators are running subsidy campaigns to encourage drivers to upgrade. By increasing the adoption rate, these companies aim to introduce more flexible toll structures, such as dynamic pricing based on real-time congestion levels, using data collected through ETC 2.0. The ministry plans to make the big data collected through ETC 2.0 available to local governments. In October, it started providing the data, on a trial basis, to 22 prefectures, cities, wards and towns that requested access. According to the ministry official, many local governments hope to use the data to help ease traffic congestion at tourist destinations. In preparation for full-scale data release, the ministry plans to compile practical guidelines for data utilization by the end of the current fiscal year in March. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]