Japan to scrap monochrome special license plates
The transport ministry is considering abolishing monochromatic versions of "gotochi" special vehicle registration plates designed by local governments, it was learned.
The ministry will allow only multicolor versions of gotochi license plates from as early as the next round of solicitations for plate designs, in an effort to ease the burden on license plate makers amid an expected increase in demand.
License plates with special designs were introduced in 2017. There are 73 types of gotochi plates, issued to residents of the local governments that created the designs, and two types available to drivers nationwide, including a design related to the World Exposition in the western city of Osaka.
Currently, applicants for specially designed license plates can choose between multicolor and monochromatic versions.
The ministry is mulling a review of the criteria for introducing gotochi license plates. After the review, such plates are expected to be more widely available across the country.
But the need to create both multicolor and monochromatic versions of the same plate design is a major burden on license plate makers and is feared to weigh on license plate supply, especially amid a spike in prices of aluminum used to make the plates.
The ministry decided to consider offering only multicolor versions of both gotochi and nationally available designs after an expert panel pointed out the issue.
However, monochromatic versions of designs are popular among drivers of minivehicles who want to avoid using the yellow license plates designated for the vehicle type.
The ministry will discuss offering nationally available license plates with subdued colors, in light of complaints that all existing multicolor designs are too colorful.
Fees paid by license plate purchasers stand at around ¥2,000 for ordinary plates and around ¥10,000 for specially designed plates, with a donation of at least ¥1,000 necessary for multicolor versions.
Such donations are expected to increase by over ¥370 million per year after monochromatic versions of specially designed plates are scrapped. Donated funds are used to improve transportation services.
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