EDITORIAL: Toll-free expressways

A "social experiment" to abolish expressway tolls has started in line with the Democratic Party of Japan's manifesto pledge. Depending on the outcome, some routes may remain toll-free. However, we must not forget that eliminating tolls will add to the burden of taxpayers.

Under the experiment, 50 sections of 37 expressways across the nation have become toll-free. The traffic volume immediately doubled or tripled in many of these sections. Various economic effects may be confirmed, but as much as 100 billion yen ($1.13 billion) in taxes is used to cover the losses in toll income for this experiment alone.

If all expressways across the nation become toll-free in principle, excluding the Shuto Expressway and the Hanshin Expressway, as the DPJ plans, it would mean a loss of 1.8 trillion yen a year in toll income, which must be shouldered by the public.

In its manifesto for the Upper House election, the DPJ is calling for "phased abolition of tolls as a general rule" for expressways. Meanwhile, the opposition Liberal Democratic Party promises "not to make expressways toll-free and stick to the principle of having users pay tolls to privatized expressway operators."

We think the LDP's proposal is more reasonable from the viewpoint of not requiring taxpayers to foot the bill.

The DPJ has maintained that it would secure necessary funds by cutting wasteful spending. But it is clear that cutting spending alone is not enough.

The administration of Naoto Kan introduced the principle of "pay as you go," under which the government will secure new revenue sources for its new policies that require additional budgetary spending. If that is the case, a tax increase will be indispensable in abolishing expressway tolls.

Kan has made it clear he will consider a consumption tax hike. According to his scenario, the additional tax income will be intensively injected in areas that create jobs or used to rebuild the shaky social security system. We want him to realize the plan.

Partly because of inadequate preparations on the part of the prime minister, public reaction is critical in the election campaign. We urge Kan to provide a detailed explanation about his basic idea of a tax increase and how to use the increased revenue to win public understanding.

But it is questionable if the public will support his proposal for free expressways as a high-priority use of tax money.

There is no way the prime minister can win public understanding for raising the consumption tax rate without re-examining the DPJ's promises that require huge spending. We want the Kan administration and the DPJ to more seriously face the harsh realities.

Securing revenue sources is not the only problem.

The abolition of expressway tolls will encourage people to drive and could increase carbon dioxide emissions. The idea runs counter to the DPJ's policy to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Furthermore, it could seriously affect such public transportation systems as trains and ferries whose routes overlap with expressways, depriving people of a means of transportation they rely on.

The effects of such pros and cons should be comprehensively studied in the experiment.

--The Asahi Shimbun, July 8