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White Paper

The Information and Communications in Japan has been published annually by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications for the purpose of making the Japanese public aware of the current status and trend of telecommunications policies in Japan since 1973. This marks the 31st issue.
Until 2000, the now-defunct Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications published an annual white paper, Communications in Japan (Status Report on Communications). In line with the shift to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications after the reshuffle of government ministries, it decided to modify and publish the report from 2001 so that it would provide more solid information on measures and policies and data related to an electronic government and regional informatization, as well as, from the viewpoint of reflecting its content better, to change its title to Information and Communications in Japan (Status Report on Information and Communications).
This section provides the outline of the Information and Communications in Japan. If you want to read the full text of it, click on the "Information and Communications White Paper Full Text (Japanese Only)" icon. If you want to read any pre-2000 issue of the Communications in Japan, click on the "Communications in Japan" icon.
Information and Communications in Japan 2008 (summary): Chapter1 Realization of Regional Economies through ICT
Chapter2 Current Status of information Communications
Chapter3 Outlook for Information and Telecommunications Policies
Information and Communications in Japan 2007 (summary): Chapter1 Progress of Ubiquitous Economy and Global Expansion
Chapter2 Current Status of Information and Communications
Chapter3 Outlook for Information and Telecommunications Policies
Information and Communications in Japan 2006 (summary): Ubiquitous networks are information and communications networks through which users can freely use networks, terminals, and digital contents with a sense of security anytime and anywhere without being aware of the presence of the networks. They enable "person-to-person," "person-to-goods," and "goods-to-goods" communications at any place and realize seamless and universal communications.
Ubiquitous network society where ubiquitous networks have fully diffused has the potential to integrate dispersed social components through the networks, because ICT will penetrate all social and economic activities. Thus, an advance of ubiquitous networks is expected to contribute to promoting an accumulation of knowledge and technology in all social and economic aspects, to changing the existing social and economic systems, and to accelerating technological progress which is the source of economic dynamism.
This White Paper features "ubiquitous economy," -or the social and economic characteristics which are brought by the development of ubiquitous networks toward achieving ubiquitous network society (u-Japan) by 2010. It examines the mechanisms by which an advance of ubiquitous networks changes
Japan's social and economic systems and creates economic dynamism from the following two viewpoints: "economic performance toward achieving ubiquitous network society" and "an impact of ubiquitous networks on social and economic activities."

Information and Communications in Japan 2006 (summary)
Chapter1 Ubiquitous Economy
Chapter2 Current Status of Information and Communications
Chapter3 Outlook for Information and Telecommunications Policies
Information and Communications in Japan 2005 (summary): "Information and Communications in Japan" has been published by the MIC every year since 1973 in order to gain the people's understanding of the current situation for information and communications in Japan and the trend of information and communications policies. The document counts this year's issue as its 33rd.
In December 2004, the MIC announced a "u-Japan" policy with the aim of achieving a "ubiquitous network society" (u-Japan) in which "anything and anyone" can easily access networks and freely transmit information "from anywhere at any time" by 2010.
Against this background, this year's white paper features "Stirrings of u-Japan," and studies and analyzes the current status toward achieving a "ubiquitous network society" from various perspectives, including people's expectations, the trend in the use of ubiquitous networks by companies, examples of use, and challenges toward the realization

Information and Communications in Japan 2005 (summary)
Chapter1 Stirrings of u-Japan
Chapter2 Current Status of Information and Communications
Chapter3 Trends of Information and Communications Policies
Information and Communications in Japan 2004 (summary): Japan is seeing rapid progress in the improvement of the information communications infrastructure, such as in the availability of the lowest-priced and highest-speed broadband services in the world. Terrestrial digital television broadcasting were inaugurated in the three major metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka in December of last year, and intelligent home appliances and RFID tags that utilize networks are gradually coming into use. These developments are leading towards the realization of ubiquitous networks that allows all users to access and exchange of all kind of information freely at any time, from anywhere, and from any appliance.
In light of this situation, the MIC featured the construction of a ubiquitous network society that spreads throughout the world in this issue, and analyzes the current status of evolving network infrastructure, the expectations of individuals and businesses for ubiquitous networks, and the issues concerning the realization of an optimal ubiquitous network society in the future and its economic impact.

Information and Communications in Japan 2004 (summary)
Chapter1 Building a Ubiquitous Network Society That Spreads Throughout the World
Chapter2 Current Status of Information and Communications
Chapter3 Trends of Information and Communications Policies
Information and Communications in Japan 2003 (summary): Japan is seeing rapid progress in developing telecommunications infrastructure, which is indicated by the fact that broadband services in Japan have become the most inexpensive and fastest in the world. From now on, it is more important for Japan to realize a society that leverages optical communications, mobile communications, information appliances, etc., over which Japan has a sizable edge on an international scale.
In line with this situation, this White Paper features an article called "Building a New, Japan-Inspired IT Society" and analyzes the direction of a "new IT society" that makes use of "Japan's strengths" while she is shifting to a stage where she leads the world from the stage where she was trying to catch up with America and other advanced countries. It focuses especially on analyzing the features and superiority of our telecommunications section, the reform of our economic and social systems through telecommunications, and factors, etc., that hinder the practical use of telecommunications while the infrastructure developments are being advanced.

Information and Communications in Japan 2003 (summary)
Chapter1 Feature:Building a "New,Japan-Inspired IT Society"
Chapter2 Current Status of Information and Communications
Chapter3 Trends of Information and Communications Policies
Information and Communications in Japan 2002 (summary): In the middle of the rapid proliferation of the Internet and advancing telecommunications infrastructure developments such as broadband, it is necessary to improve the quality of active IT usage in every field to produce results such as "the creation of competitive businesses" and "life to be able to provide comfort and affluence."
In line with this situation, this White Paper features an article titled "Stirring of the IT-Prevalent Society" that not only unveils the state of how the business, administration, and life sections make progress in using IT, but also analyzes the distribution of attractive content, the reliable maintenance of information security, and the promotion of new services and technology developments that are horizontal challenges to the promotion of active IT usage.

Information and Communications in Japan 2002 (summary)
Chapter1 Feature:Stirring of the It-Prevalent Society
Chapter2 Current Status of Information and Communications
Chapter3 Trends in Information and Communications Polichy
Information and Communications in Japan 2001 (summary): In line with the rapid proliferation of the Internet and drive to broadband utilization found in Japan, this White Paper raises the curtain of a new century by featuring an article titled "The Accelerating IT revolution: A Broadband-driven IT Renaissance" that focuses on the current situation, impacts on the Japanese society, etc., of an IT revolution which is advancing with increasing speed.

Information and Communications in Japan 2001 (summary)
Chapter1 The Accelerating IT Revolition:A Broadband-driven IT Renaissance
Chapter2 Current Status of Information and Communications
Chapter3 Trends in Information and Communications Policy