January 17, 2005

Ministry of Internal Affairs and
Communications

MIC to hold GIS Forum
- The latest GIS technology to shape a new society -




The MIC has engaged in research and development in order to realize high-level Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the future. As part of this, the MIC will hold a GIS forum, conducted in Japanese on February 16, 2005, that will introduce the latest GIS technology, in cooperation with the Independent Administrative Institution, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT).

GIS is a system which makes it possible to grasp complex information in a simple way by displaying superimposed various types of information on the screen, based on positioning information, onto maps that show topography. Its use is being promoted as an efficient process which enables rapid and smooth information processing in fields including disaster prevention and emergency measures, urban planning and distribution.

The MIC has engaged in research and development of information and communications technology in order to realize the next-generation of GIS, so as to make it possible to use mobile GIS terminals with 3-D (three-dimensional) GIS that offer outstanding visual representation anywhere.

This forum will see introductions from experts on the latest GIS trends and future concepts of information and communications using GIS, as well as announcements of research and development results on the "Next-Generation GIS" engaged in by the MIC and the "GIS Applications for Pedestrian Support" engaged in by NICT. The aim of the forum will be to encourage the creation of various businesses using GIS and the promotion of the advanced GIS technology.

For details refer to the Japanese web site
http://www.soumu.go.jp/s-news/2005/050117_1.html

For further information about this press release, please contact:

International Policy Division, International Affairs Department
Telecommunications Bureau
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Tel: (03) 5253-5920 Fax: (03) 5253-5924

Or visit
http://www.soumu.go.jp/joho_tsusin/eng/contact.html to fill in the inquiry form.