MPHPT Communications News No.8

The outline of the "International Conference for Asia Broadband Strategy" is as follows:

I. "International Conference for Asia Broadband Strategy"
1) Purpose
The purpose of the "International Conference for Asia Broadband Strategy" is to develop common understanding on the basic concept, etc. of the "Asia Broadband Program" in order to contribute to the development of the "Asia Broadband Program." The Minister for Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications hosts the International Conference for Asia Broadband Strategy consisting of opinion leaders from Japan and the Asian economies.

2) Themes
The International Conference for Asia Broadband Strategy deliberates on the following themes, to be contained in the "Asia Broadband Program" that is a target in transforming all of Asia into a world information hub.
(1) Basic concept in developing the "Asia Broadband Program"
(2) Matters to be contained in the Program
(3) Desirable form of collaboration among economies for achieving the Program

3) Members
Industry representatives and opinion leaders from Japan and the Asian economies (Chair: Mr. USHIO Jiro, Chairman of Ushio, Inc.)

4) Schedule
The first meeting of the International Conference for Asia Broadband Strategy was held on July 22, 2002 at Mita Kaigisho (Conference Hall). The International Conference for Asia Broadband Strategy will hold one more meeting within CY2002.

[Outline of Keynote Address by MPHPT Minister KATAYAMA]
Title: Formulation of the "Asia Broadband Program"

IT as a driving force of the 21st century will play a vital role. The advent of a broadband age will greatly empower IT in its influence. We shall collaborate on the sharing of various benefits brought about by IT, the promotion of socioeconomic and cultural development, and the realization of prosperous coexistence of countries/economies within the Asian region.
Thus, based upon such recognition, I propose developing the "Asia Broadband Program" containing goals and an Action Plan for the creation of a broadband environment in the Asian region.
Today, It is my great honor and privilege to welcome you distinguished opinion leaders and industry representatives from Japan and many countries/economies in Asia at this Conference and to have a chance to host this Conference with the purpose of fostering common recognition on the basic concept, etc. upon development of the "Asia Broadband Program" and a desirable form of collaboration among economies for achieving the Plan.
If I can receive a proposal from this Conference, I will present the proposal to the Asian economies in order to obtain responses and opinions thereon. Then, I would like to introduce the proposal as a voice of Asia to the world at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in 2003.

The Asian region possesses high potentials, as exemplified by Korean broadband platform, China's world's biggest number of subscribers to mobile telephones, Singaporean advanced e-government, Malaysian Super Corridor and Thailand's complex of international organizations.
Considering those high potentials of the Asian region, our goal, the Asia broadband platform, can be realized, I am sure. This figure illustrates the comparison of population coverage of the Internet in Asia and Europe. As you see, the Asian countries/economies have country-by-country disparities. In order to activate the information distribution within the Asian region, how to tackle such country-by-country disparities becomes our tasks.

The essential points upon development of the "Asia Broadband Program" are as follows:
Firstly, it is vital for government officials, service providers and users to recognize that IT forms basic infrastructures for the future socioeconomic and cultural development in Asia and the advent of the broadband age will empower IT in its influence. Then, in order to maximize benefits brought about by IT, there will be a need to close the differences/disparities within the region. To this end, it is required to set far more elaborate goals.
Secondly, we should understand features specific to Asia ourselves, then picture an information society to come. There are cultural and socioeconomic diversity in Asia without parallel in the rest of the world. In addition, there are geographically unique characteristics as well. Such diversity may sometimes become weakness, however, and at the same time, strength. We should mutually understand country-by-country differences/disparities in the Asian region, thus realize our future by respecting such diversity.
Finally, the most important thing is that diversified stakeholders shall actively commit themselves to this endeavor. Namely, under the closer collaboration among the public and private sectors, academia, NPOs and international organizations, it is required that ownerships of all parties shall be encouraged.
At the Conference meeting, base upon the proposal from Minister KATAYAMA and the deliberations of the meeting, the report "Basic policies on the formulation of the Asia Broadband Program" was compiled and released as Chairman's Summary of the "International Conference for Asia Broadband Strategy."

The "International Conference for Asia Broadband Strategy"
Chairman's Summary
[Unofficial Translation]
-- Basic Policies on the Formulation of the Asia Broadband Program --

1. The common objectives shall be the stimulation of information distribution within the Asian region along with establishing the entire Asian region as a global information base.

2. Respect shall be given to the economic, social and cultural diversity in the Asian region.

3. Participation by all related countries in the Asian region and close cooperation between a wide range of entities such as governments, the private sector and NPOs shall be ensured.

4. Exhibiting ownership by all related parties including governments, the private sector and NPOs is essential.

5. Consideration shall be paid to the elimination of the digital divide in the Asian region.

In addition, from now on, taking into consideration the deliberations at this Conference and the Chairman's summary, the "Study Group for the Asia Broadband Program" hosted by Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination TSUKIO Yoshio, Ph.D., will deliberate an Action Plan in order to develop specific content of the Asia Broadband Program and to achieve the goals of the Asia Broadband Program, and compile its outcomes as a conclusive report around December 2002.

In FY2001, MPHPT conducted a "survey on the telework population and the progress of telework implementation at corporate offices" in order to assess the current status of telework. In addition, it has also implemented a "study on future concepts on communications systems pertaining to SOHO (Small Office Home Office)" and a "study on advancement of the levels of SOHO Directory (an electronic ledger of SOHOs)" in order to deliberate on support measures for SOHOs. The outline of results of these studies is as follows:

For details, refer to the Japanese web site:
http://www.soumu.go.jp/s-news/2002/020705_4.html

1. Outline of survey
- Methods of survey (conducted by Japan Telework Association: JTA)
1) Questionnaire survey of subject businesses
Subjects: about 5,000 businesses in the cities of Sapporo, Sendai, Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima and Fukuoka as well as Tokyo's 23 cities
Effective replies: 639 (ratio of effective replies: 12.9%)
2) Corporate worker survey
Subjects: 9,307 workers in the cities listed above
Effective replies: 969 (ratio of effective replies: 10.4%)

2. Estimate of telework population
The number of teleworkers increased by about 16% in the past two years. It is forecast that the number of teleworkers will double five years after.
1) Telework population at present
The number of employee-type teleworkers in Japan for CY2002 is 2,857,000.
(As of CY2000, 2,464,000: the previous survey conducted by JTA)
2) Estimate of telework population five years after
As of CY2007, the number of employee-type teleworkers in Japan will be 5,631,000.

* Methods of estimation
1) Telework population at present
The data were estimated by the "Establishment and Enterprise Census" (MPHPT) and the "Employment Structure Basic Census" (MPHPT) using figures obtained by the "questionnaire survey of subject businesses."

2) Estimate of telework population five years after
Using the "ratio of estimated teleworking employees five years after" of the businesses replying "planning to introduce telework" or "considering introducing telework" in the replies of the "questionnaire survey of subject businesses," estimations were calculated in the same manner as 1), then the results were added to 1).
In fact, taking a look at the effects of telework on businesses introducing telework, replies of "very effective" in many questions increased in comparison with the previous survey. In particular, increases in replies of "improved efficiency/productivity in creative work" and "improved customer satisfaction" are remarkable.
On the other hand, with regard to merits for teleworkers, replies of "time for childrearing and household chores is increased" and "exhaustion caused by commuting is reduced" are significantly increased in comparison with the previous survey.

3) Effects of telework at businesses
(Ratio of businesses replying "very effective" to each question: figures in parentheses indicate the results of the previous survey.)

- However, businesses introducing telework and businesses planning/considering telework in some way account for a mere figure of about 10%, respectively.
- About 80% of teleworkers use their homes.

6) Facilities for teleworkers (top six answers: multiple replies)
- In order to find obstacles to introduce telework in businesses, reasons for not introducing telework indicate many problems related to personnel management.
- On the other hand, with regard to demerits from the worker side, problems involving communication are mainly found.

7) Reasons for not introducing telework at businesses (top six answers: multiple replies)

MPHPT and Moroccan Secretary of State in Charge of Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technologies, Nasr Hajji Sign MoU

In response to invitation from Rep. KATAYAMA Toranosuke, Minister for Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, Mr. Nasr Hajji, Secretary of State in charge of Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technologies, Morocco, visited Japan from June 29 through July 4, 2002. During the visit, Secretary Nasr Hajji exchanged opinions with MPHPT officials and industrial leaders.

At a meeting with Minister KATAYAMA held on July 1, the two ministers confirmed mutual cooperation to support the sixteenth ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, being held in Marrakech from September 23 to October 18, 2002. Secretary Nasr Hajji expressed expectations for further investment of Japanese firms in Morocco and made a proposal to conclude a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for strengthening cooperative ties between the two countries in the IT field.

With regard to the MoU for cooperation, both sides signed and exchanged the MoU at the MPHPT Headquarters on July 3, after deliberations on details. This MoU contains promotion of closer cooperation and information exchanges between the two countries, to be more precise, information exchanges concerning policies on the Internet and e-commerce, personnel exchanges including experts in that field, cosponsorship for holding seminars or symposia, among other issues.

Thanks to this MoU, it is anticipated that cooperative ties between Japan and Morocco will be further promoted in the IT field.