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On February 10, 2011, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications submitted an inquiry to the Information and Communications Council (Chairman: Takuma Otoshi, Chairman of IBM Japan) concerning the “State of Standardization Policies in the Information and Communications Field.” The reasons for this inquiry are as follows.
1. Background to inquiry
In the information and communications field, technological innovations are progressing on a global scale and are fast becoming new standards, i.e. the conversion of broadcasting digital, communications networks to broadband and IP, etc., and the diversification of technology is causing difficulty in terms of providing technological cover for whole nations or whole companies and offering products/services. The enhancement of products and services by means of shared and specialized technology on a global scale is advancing at a tangibly rapid speed to deal with constantly changing consumer/user needs, and in the process of standardization the role of forum standards is expanding in addition to so-called de jure standards.
In circumstances such as these, various standardization-related policies are being formed in foreign countries as well, and Japan too is looking towards mid-term research and development strategy for the implementation of improved user-friendliness for consumers/users, reinforced international competitiveness for industry, etc., as the promotion of strategic standardization policy is becoming a matter of urgency.
In August 2009, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) submitted an inquiry to the Information and Communications Council concerning the state of standardization policies regarding the environment for cooperation and merging of communications and broadcasting, and basic policy for the promotion of standardization has been considered by the Council. Also, beginning in October 2009 the “Task Force for ICT Policy in a Global Era” examined systems for the study of particular fields to be standardized, as well as ways of proceeding in the future, etc., and it compiled its final report in December 2010. Furthermore, the Government as a whole is progressing with the reinforcement of initiatives for further international standardization, such as through its promotion of a decision on a roadmap towards international standard acquisition in special strategic fields as part of its “Intellectual Property Promotion Plan 2010 (cabinet decision of May 2010).
Deliberation will cover the state of comprehensive standardization policy in the information and communications field supporting environmental change around standardization activities, such as changes to technological environments and the place of decisions on standards, etc., be based on these investigation results.
2. Items concerning which replies are sought
- (1) The state of important fields for standardization based on mid-term research and development strategy, foreign countries' policies, etc.
- (2) The state of role-sharing between government and people when promoting standardization including forum standards and de jure standards
3. Deliberation system
This inquiry was submitted at the Information and Communications Council Policy Section Meeting held on February 10, 2011, and deliberation was decided on at the same meeting. It was also decided that in order to investigate and study this matter a new “Investigative Commission for Standardization Policy in the Information and Communications Field” (Chief Investigator: Hideyuki Tokuda, Dean of Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University).
Please note that members of the aforementioned committee are listed in the enclosed document.
4. Schedule
A first report will be published around July 2011, with a final report to be received around July 2012, and these reports will contribute to the promotion of future information and communications administration.
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For further information about this press release, please fill in the inquiry form and submit it to MIC on the website
http://www.soumu.go.jp/joho_tsusin/eng/contact.html
International Policy Division,
Global ICT Strategy Bureau, MIC
TEL: +81 3 5253 5374 / FAX: +81 3 5253 5924 |
