PDF version [PDF: 580KB]

[Simultaneous announcement]
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Highway Bureau Expressway Division

Expressway The weekday morning and evening discount on Expressway is designed to promote the use of , which has ample traffic capacity, in order to relieve congestion during commuting hours on general roads parallel to Expressway. In the "Interim Report (dated August 4, 2021)" of the National Land Highway Subcommittee of the Road Sectional Committee of the Social Infrastructure Development Council, it was stated that "conditions regarding the applicable time period need to be reviewed to accommodate diverse work schedules. In response to the "Interim Report (dated August 4, 2021)" of the Subcommittee on National Land and Trunk Highways of the Road Subcommittee of the Council for Social Infrastructure Development, which stated that "it is necessary to respond to diversifying work systems by reviewing the conditions related to applicable time periods," and that "it is necessary to devise ways to reduce congestion Expressway during commuting hours by dispersing the congestion to the time periods before and after commuting hours," Central Japan Expressway Co.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, East Nippon Expressway Co., Ltd., Central Japan Expressway K.K. and West Japan Expressway K.K. have decided to conduct further trials and verification to review the weekday morning and evening discounts in order to respond to diversified work patterns and to diversify traffic within Expressway based on the "Basic Policy on New Expressway Fees," which was revised on December 22, 2023. In addition to Ishikawa Prefecture, where the Commuter Pass is currently being implemented, we have decided to conduct a social experiment in April 2024 in five prefectures in Japan (Hokkaido, Niigata, Yamanashi, Kagawa, and Nagasaki Prefectures).
The specific sales price, usage method, and application start date will be announced at a later date by each Expressway company.

Contents of social experiment

1. What is a commuter pass?

• This discount allows you to enjoy up to 50% off within the specified section regardless of the day of the week or time of day.
• If you specify the vehicle type and section in advance and apply, you can use the service for up to three trips per day for one month from the beginning of the month to the end of the month.

2. Implementation period

April 1, 2024 (Monday) - March 31, 2025 (Monday)

3. Target vehicle

Light vehicles, etc. and ordinary vehicles traveling in designated areas using ETC wireless communication
(ETC credit card and ETC personal card only)

• Please note that usage with ETC corporate cards is not eligible.
• Even in Ishikawa Prefecture, where trials are currently underway, from 2024 onwards, the target vehicles will be light cars and regular cars.

Four. Specified section

• Please see the attached [PDF: 329KB] for details on combinations of designated sections.
• Target ICs may be revised based on trial status.

Five. Duplicate application relationship of discounts

• Holiday discounts and late-night discounts are not applicable to uses to which this discount applies.
• If you apply for a commuter pass, the weekday morning and evening discount will not apply to all Expressway use in the month of application, regardless of whether it is within or outside the designated section.
  • Even in Ishikawa Prefecture, where the trial is currently underway, from 2024 onwards, the relationship between the overlapping application of discounts will change as described above.

Other/Notes

• Ishikawa Prefecture will be recruiting 1,000 monitors on a first-come, first-served basis each month, and Hokkaido, Niigata, Yamanashi, Kagawa, and Nagasaki will be recruiting 500 monitors on a first-come, first-served basis each month.
• Requirements may change during the implementation period based on the situation such as system load.