MIC Minister TAKENAKA Visits Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong
Minister TAKENAKA i) exchanged opinions on strengthened cooperative ties between Japan and Asian countries/economies in the ICT field and ii) asked the three countries/economy to support the Japanese candidate, Dr. INOUE Yuji, running for the Director of ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. MIC will continue to actively promote cooperation with Asian countries/economies in the ICT field.
Outline of the visits
Visit to the Kingdom of Thailand
Minister TAKENAKA held a meeting with Professor SUCHAI Charoenratanakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Mr. CHOOCHART Promphrasid, Chairman, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). At the meeting, they exchanged opinions on promotion of cooperation between Japan and Thailand in the ICT field, including human resources development, and Minister TAKENAKA asked them to support Dr. INOUE Yuji running for the Director of ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau.
Visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Minister TAKENAKA held a meeting with Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI and Prof. Dr. Sc. Do Trung TA, Minister of Posts and Telematics. At the meeting, they exchanged opinions on the significance of cooperation between Japan and Vietnam for preparing a broadband environment in Vietnam, and Minister TAKENAKA asked them to support Dr. INOUE Yuji running for the Director of ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau.
Visit to the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
Minister TAKENAKA held a meeting with Mr. Henry TANG, Financial Secretary of the Government of the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. At the meeting, they exchanged opinions on cooperation, etc. toward the success of the "ITU TELECOM World 2006" to be held in December 2006 in Hong Kong.
Results of Additional Solicitation for Public Comments Concerning the Framework for Competition Rules to Address Progress in the Move to IP
Since October 28, 2005, MIC has been holding the "Study Group on a Framework for Competition Rules to Address Progress in the Move to IP" for considering i) basic principles concerning competition policy to address progress in the move to IP, and ii) interconnection and tariff policies in the future.
With respect to six agenda items to be deliberated upon, the Study Group invited additional comments thereupon during the period from April 4 through May 10, 2006. During said period, the Study Group received 32 comments.
The additional comments are available at:
http://www.soumu.go.jp
http://www.e-gov.go.jp
The Study Group will, taking into consideration such comments, deliberate upon the agenda.
Japan's Trend in Regional ICT Promotion
--Approaches by the Regional Communications Development Division and the Local Governments ICT Promotion Office--
Promotion of installation of regional ICT infrastructure (installation of ubiquitous network at the regional level)
Promoting measures aimed at eliminating the digital divide by building a broadband model for regions such as remote islands and other disadvantageous areas, along with offering support for putting in place a basic infrastructure for ICT that meets regional needs.
Also, promoting the installation of prefecture-wide information highways and regional public networks that will serve as basic trunk lines for each region's ICT infrastructure, and planning for national realization of this by 2010.
Furthermore, along with linking these various public networks and planning for the construction of a nationwide public network, planning for the opening up of the public networks to the public sector, as well as their efficient use.
Promotion of efficiency of ICT usage in the regions (realization of ubiquitous communities)
With regard to the promotion of efficient use of ICT in the regions, planning the building of a "Regional Service Platform" that will become the base for open coordination of the various information systems in the regions inside and outside local public organizations, as well as organizing know-how on methods of building and operating regional services that uses these coordinating technologies.
Also, with regard to the applications that go beyond the region and are in common among the applications operated at the regional public networks, promoting to build and operate public applications jointly so that common applications can be enjoyed anywhere in the country, in order to bring about a reduction in costs while maintaining mutual connections.
Furthermore, along with deepening the understanding of the needs related to resident services provided by municipalities, investigations are ongoing to determine topics for the realization of providing high-value-added ICT services, and for building "ubiquitous communities".
Vision of the next-generation local administrative service system
(Click on image to see enlarged view.)
The putting in place of regional ICT promotion frameworks
From the point of view of actively promoting regional ICT, implementing human resources education for the promotion of regional ICT, such as the training of municipal CIOs as well as certification and support of the activities of "Regional-ICT-Promotion Producers".
Also, with regard to future regional ICT measures, to plan for the strengthening of the system for promoting regional ICT so that all the constituents that should be aiming for the development of ICT, such as the state, municipalities, private sector corporations and academics share information, and work in coordination with one another. Now, we are going to promote regional ICT in cooperation with The Association for Promotion of Public Local Information and Communication(APPLIC), which is composed of such members.
Furthermore, to investigate the establishment of a regional ICT best practice database for the sharing of various information such as regional ICT measures being promoted by the state or by municipalities.
Platform to support ubiquitous society
(Click on image to see enlarged view.)
System of Measures for Regional ICT Promotion
