Regular Personnel Changes
- Director-General for Technology Policy Coordination: Mr. Hideaki Ishihara - Director-General of the Information and Communications Policy Bureau: Mr. Kouzou Takahara - Deputy Director-General of the Information and Communications Policy Bureau: Mr. Michihiro Fujioka - Counselor of the Minister's Secretariat: Mr. Shinichiro Sakata - Director-General for Policy Planning: Mr. Kobo Inamura - Deputy Director-General of the Minister's Secretariat (Information and Communications Policy Bureau): Mr. Kiyoshi Mori - Director-General of the Telecommunications Bureau: Mr. Shinichi Nabekura - Director-General of the Telecommunications Business Department: Mr. Yasuo Suzuki - Director-General of the Radio Department:
Mr. Tatsuo Kito "Study Group on Security and Reliability of Third-Generation Mobile Communications Systems" Held On June 18, 2001, MPHPT held the first meeting of the "Study Group on Security and Reliability of Third-Generation Mobile Communications Systems," consisting of scholars and representatives of telecommunications industry associations. The group studies measures for improving security and reliability of the third-generation (3G) mobile communications systems (IMT-2000), and will compile its findings as a report by around October 2001. The 3G mobile communications systems (IMT-2000), slated for full-scale commercial service start-up in the near future, are expected to spawn full-fledged e-business markets through use of mobile communications, such as mobile e-commerce, thanks to high-speed mobile data transmission several ten folds faster than existing mobile data transmission. Along with the widespread use of the 3G systems, it is expected that a large number of mobile high-speed Internet users will emerge. Against this backdrop, network stability will be improved and information security measures strengthened against foreseeable threats including increases in computer virus infections and unauthorized access. "Study Group on IP Network Technology"
Held On June 26, 2001, MPHPT held the "Study Group on IP Network Technology" (Chair: Professor Tadao Saito, Chuo University) to deliberate on technological issues concerning IP networks. The study group will compile its findings as a report by December 2001. [Purposes]
[Themes] 2. Numbering plan for IP telephony
Basic Research 21 for Breakthroughs in Info-communications
MPHPT has been conducting the "Basic Research 21 for Breakthroughs in Info-communications (BT)" project since FY1998, for "breakthroughs" that will open up the future of info-communications technology. As part of this project, MPHPT invites creative R&D themes that may become new technological seeds, from researchers in academia, industry, etc. On June 12, 2001, the committee for selecting research themes (chair: Mr. Shoichi Noguchi, President of the Sendai Foundation for Applied Information Sciences) was held. The meeting selected promising R&D themes based upon the examination. In addition, at the meeting, all existing R&D themes were evaluated and assessed, leading to the conclusion that research activities for all themes would be continued. [Selected R&D themes for FY2001] 1. Integration mechanisms of plural sensory information in the brain (the Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University) In order to neurologically clarify the integration mechanisms of plural sensory information in the brain, the most advanced information processing system in existence, this R&D project will clarify information integration mechanisms in the parietal association area, where visual, aural and somatic sensory information are gathered and integrated, through human brain mapping (functional MRI) and electrophysiological research. 2. Fusion of photonic crystal and functional materials, and applied research for ultraminiaturized optoelectronic devices making use thereof (Gunma University) Toward the realization of ultraminiaturized optoelectronic devices with the size of a light wavelength (nanometric order), this R&D project will develop technology for fusing photonic crystal and functional materials with effects of light emission, amplification and nonlinear optics. Furthermore, research on applied technology for integrating photonic crystal wave-guide devices and the fused photonic crystal and functional materials into ultralarge-scale integration will be carried out, in order to produce practical-use LSIs as optical network devices. 3. Research on efficient text input systems for small portable terminals based on linguistic statistics (the University of Tokyo) In recent years, as devices tend to become smaller, the text input method using small devices is an urgent challenge. To this end, by enhancing existing technology to efficiently input Japanese texts using a small number of keys, this R&D project will carry out i) the creation of basic systems in consideration of installation on portable terminals, ii) applications to multilingual environment, especially the Thai language, and iii) applications to Japanese language input system for people with disabilities and the elderly.
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