National highways in Usa City and Kitanakagusuku Village open simultaneously

The Kyushu Regional Development Bureau and the Okinawa General Bureau announced in the Official Gazette (Extra Edition) dated November 9, 2026, that certain sections of general national highways in Kyushu and Okinawa would open for public use starting on that day. The targets are National Routes 10 and 213 in Usa City, Oita Prefecture, and National Route 329 in Kitanakagusuku Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture, both based on Article 18, Paragraph 2 of the Road Act (Act No. 180 of 1952). Related drawings will be available for public inspection for two weeks starting from that day.

The aforementioned clause is a provision that establishes the procedure for publicizing the commencement of road use, clarifying the date of opening and the specific sections in the Official Gazette. The Kyushu portion was issued as Kyushu Regional Development Bureau Notice No. 107 (Director General of Kyushu Regional Development Bureau Hiroyuki Morishita), and the Okinawa portion as Okinawa General Bureau Notice No. 25 (Director General of Okinawa General Bureau Taisei Koyagi), both dated November 9, 2026.

In Okinawa, on the same day, a change in the road area for the same section being opened was also announced based on Article 18, Paragraph 1 of the Road Act via Okinawa General Bureau Notice No. 24. While the length remains unchanged at 0.388 kilometers, the width of the site expands from 17.90–26.30 meters before the change to 18.00–45.30 meters.

Kyushu Regional Development Bureau Opens Sections of National Routes 10 and 213 in Usa City

• Route Name: General National Routes 10 and 213
• Section Opening for Use: From 756-4 Aza-Fushida, Oaza-Minamiusa, Usa City to 757-1 Aza-Fushida, Oaza-Minamiusa, Usa City
• Date of Opening: November 9, 2026
• Legal Basis: Article 18, Paragraph 2 of the Road Act
• Location for Drawing Inspection: Kyushu Regional Development Bureau and its Oita River and National Highway Office
• Notice: Kyushu Regional Development Bureau Notice No. 107

Okinawa General Bureau Opens National Route 329 in Kitanakagusuku Village

• Route Name: General National Route 329
• Section Opening for Use: From 102 Aza-Toguchi Toguchibaru, Kitanakagusuku Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture to 475-1 Aza-Toguchi Maehara, Kitanakagusuku Village
• Date of Opening: November 9, 2026
• Legal Basis: Article 18, Paragraph 2 of the Road Act
• Location for Drawing Inspection: Okinawa General Bureau and its Southern National Highway Office
• Notice: Okinawa General Bureau Notice No. 25

Newly Opened Usa City Section Subject to Utility Pole Occupancy Restrictions

In the Official Gazette of the same day, the Kyushu Regional Development Bureau publicized the designation of an area where occupancy is restricted for the newly opened section in Usa City, based on Article 37, Paragraph 1 of the Road Act. This public notice, based on Paragraph 3 of the same article, was issued by the Director General of the Kyushu Regional Development Bureau, Hiroyuki Morishita.

• Target Routes: General National Highways 10 and 213
• Areas where occupancy is restricted: From 756-4 Aza-Fushida, Oaza-Minamiusa, Usa City to 757-1 Aza-Fushida, Oaza-Minamiusa, said city
• Occupancy objects subject to restriction: Utility poles newly installed above ground (excluding those resulting from the renewal or relocation of utility poles for which occupancy was permitted prior to the restriction start date)
• Exceptions: Cases where there are unavoidable circumstances for installing utility poles above ground and it is recognized that land outside the road premises cannot be immediately secured
• Reason for restricting occupancy: To prevent the expansion of damage in the event of a disaster by restricting occupancy of emergency transport roads
• Start date of occupancy restriction: November 9, 2026
• Location for inspection of drawings: Kyushu Regional Development Bureau and the Oita River and National Highway Office of said bureau

The fact that the start of service and the occupancy restriction overlap on the same section and date means that the newly opened section is positioned as an emergency transport road during disasters, and the operation to suppress the installation of new above-ground equipment begins simultaneously. In principle, the installation of new utility poles along the route will not be permitted, with exceptions granted only when securing alternative land is difficult.

Due to both notifications, new sections in Usa City and Kitanakagusuku Village will be opened for traffic from the same date, changing the premises for traffic routes and development along the lines. For businesses and residents, the practical focus will be the ability to confirm the scope and width of the sections, as well as the details of the occupancy restrictions, during the drawing inspection period.

Source: Official Gazette (Extra Edition) dated November 9, 2026, Kyushu Regional Development Bureau Notification No. 107, Okinawa General Bureau Notification No. 24, Okinawa General Bureau Notification No. 25, Kyushu Regional Development Bureau Public Notice (Road Act Article 37, Paragraphs 1 and 3).