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Background: To improve port productivity, safety, and sustainability, the use of information and communication technology is being promoted as a smart port. The utilization of a terminal operation system (TOS) is important for advanced port operations, and it is necessary to organize the issues and characteristics of the TOS. Methods: The characteristics of TOSs introduced in Japan and those widely introduced in Europe and Southeast Asia will be investigated and discussed according to the port management system in Japan. Results: Japanese TOSs are characterized by a lack of automated functions, such as ship loading plans, and by the fact that they are designed to allow the crane driver to select the order of operations, which may be attributed to a system wherein stakeholders are segmented and on-site decisions are emphasized. The promotion of smart ports in Japanese-style ports requires a system for information linkage between stakeholders. Conclusions: TOS capabilities for smart ports should be implemented according to the characteristics of port management in each region, and the studies conducted in this paper are useful in examining port system implementation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The epidemiology and risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among travelers at international borders remain unclear. Methods We conducted descriptive and individually matched case-control studies using a nationwide register for COVID-19 testing of travelers from 3 August to 31 October 2020 at airport/port quarantine stations across Japan. Case patients, defined as travelers positive for COVID-19 on arrival, were individually matched with 4 controls for arrival date and airport or port. We assessed associations between test positivity and traveler characteristics using conditional logistic regression analysis. Results Overall, 157 507 travelers arriving from 146 countries/areas at 17 quarantine stations across Japan were tested for COVID-19. The percentage of test positivity during the study period was 0.35%. In the case-control study, with 536 case patients and 2144 controls, we found evidence of lower test positivity in travelers aged 3–19 years, female travelers, and travel corridor users (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.36 [.22–.60], 0.71 [.56–.89], and 0.48 [.30–.77], respectively), whereas higher positivity was associated with arrival from South-East Asia (1.88 [1.33–2.65]) or lower-middle- or low-income countries (2.46 [1.69–3.58] and 7.25 [2.22–23.66], respectively), any symptom (4.08 [1.43–11.65]), and nasopharyngeal compared with saliva sampling (2.75 [1.85–4.09]). A higher 14-day average incidence in the countries of stay was also associated with higher test positivity (1.64 [1.16–2.33] and 3.13 [1.88–5.23] for those from countries and areas where the 14-day average incidence was from 10 to <100 and ≥100 cases per million, respectively). Conclusions These findings justify travel restrictions based on the epidemic situation in countries of stay, although underestimation of the epidemic in lower-income countries should be considered. A strict travel corridor could also reduce the risk of COVID-19 importation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the port choice dynamics of Japanese container shippers before and after the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake, which destroyed Japan's largest port. We find that the earthquake disintegrated some transportation networks that had initially been maintained because of path dependence. At the same time, it led to establishing a new path dependence. They jointly explain why the negative impact of the earthquake on the damaged port is persistent rather than temporary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami caused devastation all along the coast of eastern Japan. Ishinomaki City was one of the most severely damaged municipalities, though the height of the tsunami in this city was smaller than that in Iwate and northern Miyagi. A large difference in the extent of building damage was found comparing two areas of Ishinomaki: one not protected by breakwaters, and the other behind the breakwaters of a large Fishery port. In this paper, the authors perform numerical simulations to determine whether these general breakwaters, which were designed not to block tsunamis but wind waves, reduced the tsunami's energy and contributed to a reduction in inundation of the areas behind the port. Before assessing the effectiveness of breakwaters against tsunamis, simulated inundation heights in each of these two areas were compared with heights measured by The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami Joint Survey Group. It was found that a simulation with larger Manning's n value (n = 0.30) can evaluate inundation more precisely than when this value is small (n = 0.06), as often used by Japanese coastal engineers. Comparing the region protected by breakwaters with the unsheltered area, the results of a 2D shallow water equation model do not show a significant difference in inundation mainly because the tsunami intrudes through the openings in the breakwater and fills up the port basin with seawater in a very short time. Therefore, the effectiveness of general breakwaters in reducing tsunami impact should not be overestimated. However, a hypothetical study shows that water levels could be greatly reduced if the port were fully enclosed by breakwaters. This implies that a port could substantially reduce tsunami inundation if the breakwater openings were equipped to be closed before tsunami arrival. The authors also demonstrate that the difference in the extent of building damage in the two areas of Ishinomaki considered can be explained by the difference in drag forces due to the topography as well as the difference in land use, rather than by the presence of breakwaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With material cycles becoming more international, the design of international reverse logistics (IRL) networks has also become increasingly important, especially in island nations such as Japan, where maritime transportation plays a significant role. Nevertheless, few studies relate to IRL design, with most existing research focusing on economic efficiency. However, IRL networks' resilience is equally or even more important than the typical logistics network design. As developed countries—including Japan—are usually exporters of recyclables, IRL malfunctions can cause waste or recyclables to accumulate in these countries, leading to inefficient waste management practices, such as landfilling. As IRL networks are characterized by low transportation rates and other uncertainties, they must be able to absorb this volatility and function despite any disruptions. This study utilizes a Japanese case study of IRL networks to establish a model and design a resilient, efficient IRL network using a cost-minimization model with resilience constraints. Our model reveals that expanding ports in a remote area with inexpensive storage costs increases economies of scale while contributing to IRL networks' resilience by forming hubs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]