Japan delays introduction of new highway tolls

Japan plans to delay new national highway tolls that are expected to support gasoline consumption in the world’s third-biggest oil consumer that were originally slated to take effect in June. The government announced in April that it was planning to double the national highway toll ceiling to ¥2,000 (US$22.27) and said the cap would be observed seven days a week instead of the current weekends, which should spur long-distance driving even on weekdays. The delay in the new tolls comes amid uncertainty over whether parliament would sign off on the measure, Transport Minister Seiji Maehara said. (May 18, 2010)