Resource Intensity in the Japanese Transportation System: Integration of Vehicle and Infrastructure

An evaluation of resource efficiency by the transportation system is essential. Resource efficiency was examined from the perspective of mining activity in the form of resource intensity of transportation systems by combining transportation means and infrastructure. The framework of transport infrastructure was developed under a standardized classification to compare the entire transportation sector for various modes of transportation. This framework consists of links, support for links, nodes, fuel supply, and tanks for roadways, railways, aviation, and waterways. The developed framework was then applied to the Japanese transportation system, and resource efficiency in terms of passengers per vehicle was estimated by integrating means of transportation with associated infrastructure using the total material requirement as an indicator of mining intensity. It was identified that the transport infrastructure accounts for a high share of the resource intensity of passenger cars (15–30%) and railways (50–80%). Notably, even considering the massive mining demand for the development of transport infrastructure, the resource efficiency of railways is the highest among various transportation modes.