The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has announced that it will allow 15 municipalities and companies around Japan to use ultra-compact cars on public roads on an experimental basis. Ultra-compact cars are one and two-person vehicles designed for short-distance travel. According to the groups applying for permits, they can be used by social workers to visit elderly persons’ homes or as rental cars for tourists. The test phase could start as early as May, and based on the results, the Ministry will decide whether or not to allow the establishment of a new subcategory of minicar in 2015. Three groups in Fukuoka were granted permission to use the cars during the test phase: the Fukuoka Ultra Compact Mobility Promotion Council (Momochihama, Sawara-ku), the Council for the Promotion of Ultra Compact Mobility for Tourism (Itoshima City) and Munakata City. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun, Mar. 16
