January 12, 2018 Results of the Visit of Manabu Sakai, State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications to Peru and Colombia．

Manabu Sakai, State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, visited Peru from January 8 through 10, 2018, and Colombia from January 10 through 12, 2018, respectively.
In this visit, State Minister Sakai held talks with a number of Peruvian key government officials, including H.E. Mr. Bruno Giuffra, Minister of Transport and Communications, and Colombian key government officials, including H.E. Mr. Juan Sebastian Rozo Rengifo, Vice-Minister of Information Technology and Communications, and H.E. Mr. Samuel Zambrano, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. State Minister Sakai agreed with them to collaborate and cooperate comprehensively in the ICT field so as to contribute to the resolution of social issues in both countries by utilizing information and communications technology (ICT).
The main contents of the results of his visit are described below.

1. Outline of State Minister’s Visit to Peru

1. Talks with H.E. Mr. Bruno Giuffra, Minister of Transport and Communications

State Minister Sakai and Minister Giuffra reached an agreement on cooperation towards the practical application of disaster prevention, telemedicine, education, international trade, and traffic logistics systems utilizing Japan’s ICT, in order to widely promote Japan’s cooperation in the ICT field, including digital terrestrial broadcasting.
Furthermore, they agreed to hold a seminar on Tackling for Social issues through utilizing ICT in Lima, Peru, in March 2018, so as to expand Japanese companies’ activities in Peru.

2. Exchange of views with the National Institute of Civil Defense

State Minister Sakai visited the National Emergency Operation Center (COEN) of the Nacional Institute of Civil Defense and exchanged views with Mr. Luis Alberto Carranza, General Secretary of National Institute of Civil Defense, on cooperation in disaster prevention capabilities utilizing Japan’s ICT. Furthermore, as a part of Japan-Peru cooperation, they agreed on Japan’s proactive cooperation in the spread of the Emergency Warning Broadcast System (EWBS) by utilizing digital terrestrial broadcasting in Latin America, to which Peru has been making advanced efforts.

2. Outline of State Minister’s Visit to Colombia

1. Talks with H.E. Mr. Juan Sebastian Rozo Rengifo, Vice-minister of Information Technology and Communications

In order to contribute to accuracy and efficiency improvements in security measures towards the achievement of smart cities in the fields of security and transportation, State Minister Sakai and H.E. General Vice-minister Rozo reached an agreement on the implementation of research for the introduction of image analysis technology under the collaboration and cooperation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIC) of Japan and the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications (MinTIC) and the National Department of Planning (NPD). Furthermore, in order to contribute to the stabilization of farmers’ livelihood and a solution of food issues, they agreed to promote the cooperation of MinTIC and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of Colombia in advancing an agricultural IoT project proposed by Japan. In addition, in order to expand Japanese enterprises’ activities in Colombia and other Latin American countries, State Minister Sakai announced that Japan will participate as a special guest country in ANDICOM 2018, Colombia’s largest ICT international conference and exhibition event that will be held in August 2018.

2. Talks with Colombian key government officials

State Minister Sakai held talks with H.E. Deputy Minister Samuel Zambrano of MARD and agreed to cooperate in the agricultural IoT project proposed by Japan. Furthermore, State Minister Sakai held talks with H.E. Director Luis Fernando Mejia of NPD, and agreed on the cooperation of Japan and Colombia in the achievement of smart cities and the promotion of the agricultural IoT project.