Bicycle success by social acceptance, the example of Japan

Adoption of non-motorized means of transport plays a key role towards sustainable cities while acknowledging major environmental challenges. Proposing bicycle-friendly infrastructure and policies is increasingly being prioritized in more and more cities. This article provides an overview of the bicycle in Japan. The current situation is analyzed based on national aggregate data and is linked to its history, policies and the emergence of a specific bicycle culture. A contrast between data and culture in bicycle use is highlighted, providing evidence about the specificity of the Japanese case. Previous studies on the bicycle focused on the importance of different aspects of bicycle infrastructure and policies. Through literature review based of the fourteen parameters of the Copenhagenize bicycle-friendly cities index, this study identifies the lack of studies about bicycle culture and social acceptance. It proposes an insight about the importance related to bicycle culture and social acceptance in bicycle success, using the example of Japan.