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November
26, 2001, Vol.12, No.17
ISSN 1346-5317
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Digital Opportunity Forum (Asian Diversity and the
Role of Japan) Held
| The "Digital Opportunity Forum" was held
for two days on November 5 and 6, 2001, in Tokyo (Keidanren Kaikan),
sponsored by the DOT Force Japan Consultation Committee (Secretariat:
Center for Global Communications [GLOCOM], International University
of Japan), and supported by MPHPT, etc. |
The forum was held for the purposes of:
i) Reporting the activities of the G8 DOT Force, which was founded under
the auspices of the Okinawa Charter on the Global Information Society,
with the aim at encouraging active engagement of governments, industries
and non-profit organizations (NPOs) in the digital divide problem; and
ii) Discussing what Japan can do to support and contribute to developing
countries in the IT field.
At the forum, discussions were made among speakers from Japanese and
developing countries' governments, industries and NPOs.
From MPHPT, Mr. Kaoru Kanazawa, Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination
(International Affairs and Telecommunications Bureau), gave an introductory
remark at the forum, and Mr. Jun Okayama, Director, Government Information
Systems Planning Division, participated as a guest speaker.
In the introductory remark, Vice-Minister Kanazawa referred to a danger
that existing economic and social inequalities will worsen in countries
that are not involved in the IT revolution and not participating in
an information society, and that this will create a gap between "information
haves" and "information have-nots," the so-called "digital
divide." He continued, "Therefore, we must act quickly to
bridge our own digital divide and create conditions under which everyone
can participate in and benefit from IT, the so-called 'society of digital
opportunity.'" "Regarding our efforts to bridge the international
digital divide, it is important to build partnerships and cooperation
among governments, the private sector and non-profit organizations (NPOs).
Also, that it is imperative that developing countries themselves demonstrate
full ownership and tackle the digital divide," he emphasized. In
addition, for developing countries to be able to close the digital divide,
he focused on the necessity for priority to be given to the development
of communications infrastructure, and that policy steps must be taken
to ensure that competition is encouraged in the communications sector
and a regulatory framework established to reflect the cultural diversities
of each nation.
Director Okayama, at the Session "e-Government Strategies and Prospects
in Electronic Administration," made a presentation titled "Strategy
for Building 'Electronic Government' in Japan" on Japan's current
measures and a strategy for creating electronic governments. After the
presentation, he discussed with experts, including Mr. J. B. Kristiadi,
Deputy Minister for State Administrative Reform/Secretary of the Indonesian
Telematics Coordinating Taskforce, on the future of electronic governments.
At the session, opinions were exchanged on the need for reflecting the
demands of citizens, users of e-governments, in realizing electronic
governments, and on the significance of digitalization of national and
local governments.
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Introductory Remark
by Kaoru Kanazawa,
the Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination (International Affairs
and Telecommunications Bureau) in the Ministry of Public Management,
Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications
Good afternoon. First, may I thank
you for your kind introduction.
I very much appreciate being invited to the Digital Opportunity
Forum, and as a representative of our ministry, I would like
to make a few introductory remarks.
Last year at the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit Meeting, the Okinawa
Charter on the Global Information Society stated that information
and communications technology "is one of the most potent
forces in shaping the twenty-first century." Not only is
it becoming a vital engine of growth for the world economy,
as a tool to help individuals and societies use their knowledge
and ideas, but it is also expected to be a key element in enabling
people to lead better lives. Indeed, it will be instrumental
in bringing about an enormous transformation of society and
economy.
When used wisely, IT also has the potential to offer developing
nations opportunities to achieve broader development goals such
as reduction of poverty and promotion of health care and education.
But there is a danger that existing economic and social inequalities
in countries that are not involved in the IT revolution and
not participating in the information society, will worsen, and
that this will create a gap between "Information haves"
and "Information have-nots," the so-called "digital
divide."
Of course, bridging this gap is not only an international issue
but a domestic issue as well. We must act quickly to eliminate
our own digital divide and create conditions in which everyone
can participate in and benefit from IT, the so-called "society
of digital opportunity."
In Japan, we recognize that we have responsibility to share
our expertise on IT with developing nations. Also the most appropriate
way to promote IT is by worldwide cooperation. Therefore, in
July of last year, the Government of Japan presented a comprehensive
cooperation package for addressing the issue of the international
digital divide over the next five years.
At our ministry, we are moving forward based on the concept
of "promoting international harmonization and contribution,"
which is prescribed in our IT Basic Law and the e-Japan Priority
Policy Program. We are involved with the G8 Digital Divide Task
Force and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and
are promoting the creation of policies and institutions, the
development of human resources, and the transfer of technology
for IT through a broad international coalition and bilateral
cooperation.
I would like to take this opportunity to outline the latest
IT policies in Japan. In our country, based on strategies such
as the e-Japan Priority Policy Program, we aim to become the
most advanced IT nation in the world within the next five years
and are promoting a comprehensive range of IT policies.
In October, our Minister, Toranosuke Katayama, announced the
"National Broadband Initiative" and the "Program
for Promotion of Central and Local e-Government." These
are the visions of the future being promoted by our ministry,
which has main responsibility for IT policies. The e-Japan Priority
Policy Program noted that to achieve the goal of becoming the
world's most advanced IT nation, two elements are especially
important:
First, nationwide access to high-speed and ultrahigh-speed Internet
networks,
Second, bringing about central and local e-Government by fiscal
year 2003 ("two thousand and three").
These initiatives define the target and schedule for developing
the two key elements. We believe that setting up this initiative
and program will promote the IT revolution. We intend to create
an environment that is conducive to the transformation of our
social and economic structure.
As for our efforts to bridge the international digital divide,
it is important to build partnerships and cooperation among
governments, the private sector and non-profit organizations
(NPOs). In addition, it is imperative that developing countries
themselves demonstrate full ownership and tackle the digital
divide. For developing countries to be able to reduce the digital
divide, it is necessary for priority to be given to the development
of communication infrastructure. Also, policy steps must be
taken to ensure that competition is encouraged in the communications
sector and a regulatory framework established to reflect the
cultural diversities of each nation.
This forum will enable everyone from governments, the private
sector and NPOs in developing countries and Japan to meet and
exchange views on how to bridge the international digital divide.
It is also an excellent opportunity to build partnerships and
mutual understanding.
Finally, I would like to conclude by noting that this forum
offers a valuable opportunity for making more people aware of
the necessity and importance of bridging the digital divide.
I hope that it will serve as an impetus for the activities of
the DOT Force when they are actually implemented.
Thank you.
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"Study Group on the New Business Methods and
the Grand Design of the Competitive Environment for the New Information
and Communications Era" Held
The "Study Group on the New Business
Methods and the Grand Design of the Competitive Environment for the
New Information and Communications Era" (Chair: Mr. Junichi Hamada,
Dean, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, and Graduate
School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University of Tokyo)
held by MPHPT has met since August 2001. The purpose of the study
group is to deliberate on the competitive environment for the telecommunications
business field in response to new business methods for an information
and communications era. Major themes the study group plans to cover
are as follows:
1. Course of deliberation
The study group convened its first meeting on August 10, 2001, and
has met seven times to date. Of these meetings, the second through
fifth meetings were devoted to presentations from businesses and other
relevant associations (18 corporations and associations) in relation
to prospective business methods for the coming deployment of broadband
communications. These presentations have then served as a basis for
discussions by the members of the study group and relevant businesses.
The major themes compiled this time have been taken from deliberations
at meetings to date, and made public at this time in order to ensure
transparency of further deliberations.
2. Major themes (for details, see the
Japanese language website: http://www.soumu.go.jp/menu_news/s-news/index.html)
i) The basic perspective on the policy of fair competition in the
future
ii) Vertically integrated business methods and a competitive environment
iii)-1 The desirable environment for fair competition in the network
layer
iii)-2 The desirable environment for fair competition in the platform
layer, etc.
iii)-3 The desirable environment for fair competition in the terminal
layer
iv) New regulatory frameworks for the telecommunications business
3. Future plans
The study group is planned to continue until June 2002. However, it
has also been planned to compile its findings as an interim report
within CY2001, after further deliberations based on these major themes.
Public Comments Invited on Issues
Concerning NHK's Subsidiaries, Etc.
MPHPT is being deliberating on the
desirable status of Japan Broadcasting Corp. (or Nippon Hoso Kyokai:
NHK), including i) the desirable status of NHK's subsidiaries, etc.
and ii) NHK's services including content distribution over the Internet.
Upon compilation of "identified issues on the status of NHK,"
MPHPT invited public comments from the Japanese nationals, etc.
from October 18 through November 8, 2001, via mail, fax or e-mail.
MPT has been hosting the "Study Group on Broadcasting Policy"
since May 2000. The mission of the meeting is to study overall broadcasting
policies including conceptual review of broadcasting as well as
roles of commercial and public broadcasting, based on a changing
environment surrounding broadcasting such as the progress of digitalization
for all broadcasting media and the advancement of the Internet.
At the study group, the following items are deliberated:
1. Conceptual review of broadcasting (convergence of communications
and broadcasting)
2. Roles of public broadcasting (NHK's Subsidiaries, etc., the status
of services of NHK including content distribution using the Internet,
etc.)
3. Roles of commercial broadcasting (principles limiting multiple
ownership of mass media, etc.)
Regarding these issues, the study group held public hearings for
relevant industries, etc.
The First Meeting of the "Study
Group on Information Security Business and Collaboration between
Public and Private Sectors" Held
MPHPT hold the first meeting of the "Study
Group on Information Security Business and Collaboration between
Public and Private Sectors" on October 24, 2001, in order to
contribute to advancement of information security in a networked
society by looking to the future. This study group will last until
May 2002.
Themes to be deliberated by the study group include:
i) Development trends in the information security business market;
ii) Roles of the information security business in enhancing information
security measures; and
iii) Specifying of domains the information security business cannot
cover on a commercial business basis.
In general, it is considered that most of systems and functions
necessary for ensuring information security in Japan could be provided
through business activities of the private sector. However, all
information security systems and functions are not covered by the
private sector. Thus, domains not covered by private businesses
are to be complemented by governmental support measures or private
sector initiatives on a voluntary basis, resulting in invulnerable
information security.
Because the information security business is still in its infancy,
its future course of development and roles to be played in providing
information security measures for the networked society as a whole
are not foreseeable. It is not clear what domains cannot not be
covered by the private information security industry and how to
cover those domains through what measures, furthermore, to date,
efforts to cope with those issues are not necessarily sufficient.
In addition to themes listed above, with the purpose of presenting
useful reference materials to promote information security policies,
this study group will carry out research and study on measures to
cover domains, such concrete frameworks as establishment of incident
response teams (IRTs), which are necessary in implementing secure
information systems, however, not covered by the information security
industry alone.
[Outline of research and study themes]
1. Current status and future trends of information security industry
in Japan
-Trends in and the structure of the information security market
-Future direction of the information security industry and its market
size
-Promotion measures for the information security industry
-Points to be considered upon use of information security business
and assessment/evaluation thereof
2. Surveillance on overseas cases concerning incident response teams
(IRTs), computer emergency response teams (CERTs) and information
sharing and analysis centers (ISACs)
3. Domains the information security business cannot cover on a commercial
business basis and measures to cover thereof (including such concrete
frameworks as establishment of IRTs)
-Measures for ensuring information security at national and local
governments
-Measures for ensuring information security in the private sector
(including the telecommunications and broadcasting industries)
Toward the Introduction of a Wireless
Access System to High-Speed Internet
Inquiry into "Technical Conditions for a 5GHz Wireless Access
System"
MPHPT inquired of the Telecommunications
Council (Chair: Mr. Yoshihisa Akiyama, Chairman of Kansai Electric
Power Co., Inc.) concerning "technical conditions for a 5GHz
wireless access system."
With the expansion in user demand for the high-speed Internet, the
aim of the inquiry is to make possible a simple, low cost wireless
access system.
With the widespread use of the Internet in a wide variety of social
activities and demands for broadband access networks, there has
been a huge increase in user needs for wireless access systems.
Against this background, a wireless access system has been introduced
that uses the 2.4GHz band, quasi-millimeter wave and millimeter
wave bands (22/26/38GHz).
Further, as use of the Internet increases, a system in which the
Internet can be accessed both at a high speed and in a simpler,
low-cost way is desired. In addition to the existing 5.2 GHz-band
wireless LAN system for indoor use, in March 2000, an inquiry was
made of the Telecommunications Technology Council concerning the
possibility of using the 5.3GHz system in response to demands for
outdoor use. Subsequently, the final report from the council concluded
that frequency sharing with earth exploration satellite systems
or meteorological radar would be difficult (October 2000).
However, needs for an outdoor-use 5GHz wireless access system remain
as strong as ever. In addition to studying whether a section of
the 5GHz band (4900-5000MHz) can be used, technical conditions necessary
to realize a wireless access system utilizing said frequency band
and conditions for sharing said frequency band among existing systems
were inquired of the Telecommunications Council and a report is
scheduled to be compiled by March 2002.
Special Training Course "Promotion
of Local Informatization" Held
Since FY2000, for the purpose of supporting
local governments' international cooperation measures in the IT
field and of gaining mutual understanding between Japanese local
governments and foreign counterparts, MPHPT has been holding the
Training Course "Promotion of Local Informatization."
In FY2001, the second Training Course was held from October 14 through
24, 2001 with participation of 25 local government officials from
nine mostly Asian countries.
The training comprised lectures on MPHPT's policy measures to promote
local informatization, technical visits to IT-related facilities
and practical IT training using PCs. It is expected that the trainees,
after returning home, will play a leading role in promoting IT in
the local governments they work for.
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Special Training Course
"Introduction of IT into Local Governments"
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International
Policy Division,
International Affairs Department,
Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs,
Posts and Telecommunications
1-2, Kasumigaseki 2-chome,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8926, Japan
Fax: +81-3-5253-5924
Tel: +81-3-5253-5920
e-mail: feedback-newsletter@soumu.go.jp |
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