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MIC establishes Study Group on Communications Terminals in IP Era

Background/Goals

At present the information communications network which is the social basis for our country is seeing a move to IP. In this age of a shift to IP, for communications of appropriate quality in which a wide variety of terminals can implement each application, it is expected that it won’t be just the networks which will be required to assure functions such as quality and security, but that the communications terminals themselves will join in providing a variety of functions.

Taking that into consideration, this study group was established in order to investigate a framework for communications terminals functions that will promote wide-ranging and smooth usage, as well as the measures that will become necessary, from a variety of perspectives.

Topics to be Investigated

(1) The image of communications terminals, taking into consideration trends in the progress of the shift to IP

(2) The functions that will be necessary for communications terminals in response to trends in the progress of the shift to IP

(3) Topics related to the usage of communications terminals in response to trends in the progress of the shift to IP, and measures to address these
Etc.

Timing

The first meeting of the study group was held on December 7, 2006, and the target date for the compilation of the report is June 2007.

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Results of First ASEM ICT Ministerial Meeting

The first meeting of ICT ministers from ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) member countries was held on November 30, 2006, in Hanoi, Vietnam, with the goal of consolidating cooperation in the field of ICT with ASEM member states.

The Japanese delegation was led by TANIGUCHI Kazufumi, Parliamentary Secretary for Internal Affairs and Communications. Along with an introduction of Japan’s approaches in the ICT field, there were exchanges of opinion with cabinet ministers from ASEM member countries.

In addition, Parliamentary Secretary TANIGUCHI also took this opportunity to meet with Dr. Do Trung Ta, Minister of Posts and Telematics from Vietnam, the host country, and the importance of further strengthening the cooperative relationship between the two countries in the field of ICT was confirmed.

Meeting Agenda etc.

- ASEM was established in 1996 with the aim of strengthening the relationship between Asia and Europe, and as a venue for dialog and cooperation in the three fields of (1) politics, (2) the economy and (3) society and culture.

- The ASEM ICT Ministerial Meeting was held for the first time in Hanoi, Vietnam, on November 30, 2006, within the ASEM framework, was established to strengthen cooperation in ICT between ASEM member countries. This is against the background of the remarkable developments in information technology in recent years, and the renewed confirmation of the importance of ICT and the need to build an information society at the WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society) summits which were held in 2003 and 2005.

Participants

About 300 participants including government officials with ICT portfolios within ASEM member countries, such as ministers, as well as relevant people from industry.

Outline of Meeting

- A plenary session was held with the participation of ICT ministers. Opinions were exchanged on topics including “ICT policy and revising the regulatory environment”, “Increasing the capacity of ICT corporations”, “cooperation among education and training organizations”, and “strengthening regional society through the use of ICT.”

- Parliamentary Secretary TANIGUCHI introduced Japan’s approaches concerning topics such as “the state of penetration of broadband in Japan”, “the u-Japan Policy which aims to bring about a ubiquitous network society in Japan”, and “The Asia Broadband Program trough which Japan promotes cooperation between Asian countries in the field of ICT.”

At the public-private dialog sessions, there were announcements, under the theme of “Public Services That ICT Will Make Possible”, telecommunications operators and manufacturers introduced their business and made announcements on the proposals to the ICT ministers, and opinions were exchanged between the public and private sector.

Along with the chairman’s statement which included an “Action List” of the issues that need to be tackled in the future in the ASEM region, based on the results of this meeting, there was agreement to continue the exchange of opinions and sharing of information to promote cooperation in the ICT field in the future.

In order to promote cooperation in the field of ICT between ASEM members countries, there was agreement to continue to hold a high-level working meeting each year starting next year, and, along with checking on the progress on the action list that was agreed on at this meeting, to also hold a ministerial meeting again.

Bilateral Meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Communications

During this meeting, Parliamentary Secretary TANIGUCHI held a meeting with Dr. Ta, Minister of Posts and Telematics from Vietnam, the host country. The Vietnamese minister expressed thanks for the cooperation based on the Asia Broadband program, and emphasized the importance of further strengthening cooperation between the two countries. There was also an exchange of opinion concerning ICT policy.

(Photo 1) All of the participating ICT ministers

(Photo 2) Bilateral meeting with Dr. Ta, Vietnam’s Minister of Posts and Telematics

(Photo 3) Parliamentary Secretary TANIGUCHI introducing Japan’s ICT approach

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