Yokohama City, Japan, conducted a pilot program for its "Eco Point System" from late September to late December, 2007, together with the Tokyu Corporation, a major railway company located in the Tokyo Metropolitan area, aiming to pursue their own countermeasures for global warming by promoting environmental action by citizens. The pilot program marks the first time a local government has launched such a point system in collaboration with a railway company.

The system utilized two types of prepaid travel IC cards, "PASMO" and "Suica", which many citizens possess. Users of these cards were to collect "Yokohama Eco Points" when they took trains to or went shopping in the city, participated in city-designated environmental seminars or brought their own chopsticks to its ward festivals, by operating touch panel equipment installed at stations and commercial facilities. Accumulated points were redeemable for municipal subway tickets, free admission to the city's museum and zoo or deposits for tree planting.

Using familiar, existing technology has made it easy for many citizens to join the system. Based on the results of this pilot program, the city will assess the future prospects of the system.

http://www.city.yokohama.jp/en/index.html

Posted: 2008/02/03 04:41:25 PM
Japanese version

TAG Local government , System/Law