In pursuing its basic policy of implementing "sustainable management of national land" based on the 4^th National Land Use Planning (national plan) to hand over the national land to the next generation in a better form, the Ministry will take measures necessary for quantitative adjustment of land demand through advanced utilization of land and effective use of underutilized and unused land, for safety/security of land, for qualitative enhancement of national land utilization from the perspective of cycle, symbiosis and beauty, and for promotion of overall management of national land utilization.

With regard to "policy to improve, develop and conserve city planning areas" (master plan), which is laid out in each city planning area, the Ministry will promote appropriate implementation of the plan to meet changes in social conditions.

The Ministry will implement "Regional Vitality Restoration Programs" to support projects originating in ideas and ingenuity of local residents and private-sector groups at their initial stage by utilizing regional counselors and liaison offices established under the Cabinet Office. The Ministry will also strive to respond to inquiries about local revitalization.

The Ministry will continue to promote measures decided by the Urban Renewal Headquarters, such as the "Urgent Improvement of Dense City Blocks - Stepped-up Efforts to Solve Priority Dense City Blocks" and the "Promotion of Urban Renewal to Strengthen International Financial Center Functions."

The Ministry will continue to provide support through the Organization for Promoting Urban Development with the aim of promoting comfortable town development, while proactively utilizing the creative ingenuity and business motivation of the private sector.

The Ministry will establish "Land Acquisition Management (tentative)," which is designed to implement measures to achieve systematic acquisition of land appropriately at the right time based on a pre-set completion date, and will also create manuals to that end.

As for government buildings, the Ministry will proactively promote development of joint government buildings by systematically coordinating development plans, while at the same time promoting efficient use of the current government buildings.

As the basic direction of future urban policies based on stable demographic movements, it is important to realize "urban restructuring", by shifting away from the conventional development of new urban areas in suburbs towards redevelopment of existing urban areas.

The Ministry will promote integrated urban renewal projects for the reorganization of city structures, while promoting conversion of underutilized/unused land in urban areas and coastal areas to alternative uses.

In order to enhance city functions and improve economic vitality in a comprehensive and integrated manner, the Ministry will provide intensive support to projects conducive to the improvement of urban areas, establishment of city welfare facilities, promotion of residence, and revitalization of commerce in the areas designated by the Prime Minister as eligible for the basic plan for city center revitalization.

With regard to farm land in urban areas, where housing demand is considerably high the Ministry will promote provision of good residential land by utilizing farm land through the agricultural housing cooperative system.

The Ministry will strategically promote renovation of dangerous, crowded urban areas and create safe urban areas by promoting development of road and other infrastructure and rehabilitation of aging buildings. At the same time, it will promote measures based on the "Law concerning promotion of development of disaster-prevention districts in dense urban areas" and expand / promote related projects.

The Urban Renaissance Agency will limit its new town projects (major metropolitan regions) to those that have already been started and instead will continue to intensively implement projects having high policy implications, such as projects conducive to achieving adjacent work place-residence conditions.

The Ministry will steadily implement necessary measures to achieve the goals listed in the Housing Life Basic Plan (national plan): (i) Creation of good housing stock and passing to the next generation, (ii) Creation of a favorable living environment, (iii) Development of housing market environment to accurately meet diverse residential needs, (iv) Securing stable residence for those who need special consideration in ensuring residence.

The Ministry will continue to strive to supervise real estate transactions in order to protect the interests of real estate buyers, and promote sound development of the real estate industry.

In order to revitalize the Japanese real estate investment market by ensuring the transparency of the market and improving the market so that investors can participate without anxiety, the Ministry will promote efforts such as holding "forums to establish a reliable real estate investment market."

The Ministry will make public notice of land prices at 27,804 sites in FY2010. Prefectural gavernments will also continue to conduct land price surveys in FY2009.

Prefectural gavernments will continue to strive for balanced and proper appraisal of land prices so that the assessed value of fixed asset tax will come to about 70% of published land prices.

The Ministry will continue to conduct basic surveys on land transaction regulations, in order to obtain information on land transactions. It will strive for proper operation of the land transaction regulation systems based on the National Land Use Planning Act.

The Ministry will conduct land register surveys, public notice of land prices, etc. and get information on land transactions based on the National Land Use Planning Act.

The Ministry will promote land register surveys, which determine land owners of each parcel of land, lot number, land category, boundary, and land area for each parcel of land, based on the "5^th 10-Year Program for National Land Survey" starting in FY2000, while utilizing private sector abilities and results.

As for digital national land information, the Ministry will revise posted public notice of land prices and prefectural land price surveys, and will start organizing information on advanced land utilization, by means of more detailed land use classifications, in order to enable qualitative analysis of national land use.

In order to achieve a society able to make advanced utilization of geospatial information, such as base map information, thematic maps, land register information, statistical information, and aerial photos, the Ministry will promote research studies, diffusion of knowledge, and development of human resources, with regard to the utilization of geospatial information, such as the enhancement and provision of geospatial information and establishment of rules concerning enhancement, provision and distribution of such information, based on the "basic plan for the promotion of the utilization of geospatial information,"

The Ministry will further promote the use of computers in registration procedures.

In FY2009, the Ministry, based on the long-term plan for basic land survey, will promote organizing the results of basic land surveys in order to establish, distribute and utilize geospatial information, which will constitute the most basic information infrastructure in a society of advanced information and communications networks.

The Ministry will establish systems for special deductions in capital gains of up to 10 million yen on sales of land acquired in FY2009 and FY2010, and special tax treatment of advanced acquisition of land concluded in FY2009 and FY2010, and leave unchanged for two years the rate of registration license tax on the transfer of land ownership, which was earlier planned to be raised on April 1, 2009.

As a policy guideline for the comprehensive formation of national land, the National Land Sustainability Plan (national plan) calls for "creating national land to enable diverse wide-area blocs to develop on their own and forming beautiful national land comfortable to live in." To this end, the plan sets up five strategic goals: (i) Smooth exchanges and cooperation with East Asian countries, (ii) Creation of sustainable communities, (iii) Creation of disaster-resistant, flexible national land, (iv) Management and inheritance of beautiful national land, and (v) Community building efforts centering on "new public,"with the intention of effective planning in collaboration with diverse entities.

Based on the "Act for Relocation of the Diet etc.," the Ministry will provide necessary cooperation, such as conducting surveys and providing information to the public, in order to facilitate Diet deliberations on the matter.

In FY2009, the Ministry will promote land related measures for environmental conservation, and give due consideration to environmental conservation when formulating and implementing various land related measures and projects.

In order to conserve the natural environment, the Ministry will implement measures, such as designation of nature conservation areas based on the "Nature Conservation Act."

When implementing large scale projects that may have serious impacts on environment, the Ministry will see to it that environmental assessment based on laws and ordinances, including the "Act for Assessment of Environmental Impacts", will be conducted properly.

In order to curb an increase in unused farm land, the Ministry will promote improvement of land conditions and integrated use of farm land. It will also implement a direct payment system to support community-wide farm land conservation activities, and to compensate for disadvantageous production conditions in intermediate and mountainous areas.

In order to maximize the multi-functionality of forests, the Ministry will provide guidance and advice to local governments and forest owners engaged in systematic improvement of forests based on the forest planning system provided by the Forest Act.

In special river basins for flood control measures, the Ministry will establish river basin conferences made up of the river divisions of the national, prefectural and municipal governments and other divisions related to city, housing and land. It will create river basin improvement plans, to promote proper land use in river basins and to control rainwater runoff.

As for historic villages and streetscapes, the Ministry will provide guidance and advice to municipalities regarding preservation of traditional building preserration areas and select important traditional building preservation areas.

In order to promote the creation of favorable landscapes, the Ministry will continue to enhance its efforts, including disseminating and educating basic philosophy, providing education on landscape to draw participation of diversified entities, and providing information on effective utilization of legal system and advanced case examples.

During the "Land Month" of October (October 1 is "Land Day"), the Ministry will actively work to spread awareness of the basic principles on land, and introduce various measures and systems concerning land.