Private Finance Initiative, infrastructure projects that the public sector is financially involved in, has not seen a significant increase recently in local municipalities, said Ministry of Internal Affairs. The number of PFIs such as sewerage and hospital developments leveled off at 15 in five years from 2009 to 2013. The total number of PFIs reached 59 since the scheme launched in 1999. Application of the scheme has slowed down, approximately three project starts a year despite of the central government’s promoting policy.

In fiscal 2013, three PFIs; two hospitals and one sewer development were undertaken. By sector, projects in sewer were the most in number, 23 since 1999, followed by hospitals, 15. Tokyo mapped out a policy to launch the concession method, by which the public sector will be able to sell or lease a right to operate public infrastructure such as sewer and water. The LDP, a party in office plans to submit a bill to the Diet to accelerate Public Private Partnership application. (2015/02/26)