The roads of Japan contribute greatly to society as they are a part of the infrastructure for daily life and logistics, and help developing economic activities.
On the other hand, the development of road network has brought about increase of traffic accidents, chronic traffic congestion, environmental deterioration, and energy consumption. There have been social demands for general solutions to these problems.
ITS (intelligent transport systems) which integrates and systematizes drivers, roads, and vehicles as one system, is expected to be one excellent solution.
Under these circumstances, the development of Electronic Toll Collection System(ETC) has been undertaken by a public-private partnership. ETC can mitigate traffic congestion at toll gates, increase convenience to drivers by offering cashless payment at toll booths, and reduce management costs through the introduction of automatic payment system.
Aiming at the development of ITS infrastructure in the 21st century the ETC offers an automatic toll payment system by utilizing wireless communication between an ETC on-board equipment(OBE) installed in a passing vehicle and a base station on the ground, the vehicle is allowed to pass through toll booths without having to stop to pay the toll.
By introducing this system, the standards of information security control pertaining to ETC have been decided for businesses and other entities related to ETC, hereinafter referred to as "toll collectors with automatic charging systems," under the "Ordinance of handling for toll charging affairs with automatic toll collecting systems to implement the law on special measures for roads" Law No.7, 1956.
Under the ordinance, with consideration to unified execution of measures for the assurance of information security, the following licenses for affairs are granted to the incorporated foundations that satisfy the Civil Code Article 34 in regards to enforcing with efficiency and reliability.
(1) Provision of the standsrds for assurance of information security,
(2) Provision of encrypted data for ETC setup.
Based upon these premises, the "Foundation for the Promotion of the Enhancement of Traffic Systems Organization" has been established under the guidance and request of each toll collector with automatic charging systems with consensus from the relevant persons in the automobile industries, telecommunication industries, and credit industries.
The foundation performs the tasks stated above exclusively and centrally, and contributes to the improvement of convenience to the users of traffic systems and the efficient use of the traffic systems, by supporting unified and enhanced traffic systems which will lead to a contribution in the improvement of citizen life and the stimulation of national economic activities.
