Acceleration and Advancement of e-Japan Priority Policy Program and e-Japan 2002 Program

Acceleration and Advancement of e-Japan Priority Policy Program and e-Japan 2002 Program

IT-related Policy Area of the Structural Reform Schedule

Issues concerning the Rapid Formation of an IT-Based Society 1. Items that can be completed by this autumn. 2. Items that can be completed this year by implementing measures such as legislative amendments at an extraordinary session of the Diet. 3. Items that can be completed during FY2001. 4. Items that can be completed during FY2002.

1. Accelerated construction of the world's most advanced networks
<Target>
Create an environment within five years that enables at least 30 million households to have 24-hour high-speed Internet access and 10 million households 24-hour ultra-high-speed access.
(1) Promotion of the construction of high-speed and ultra-high-speed Internet infrastructure (MPHPT) - Creation of National Broadband Initiative that includes a schedule for nationwide expansion of high-speed and ultra-high-speed networks by FY2005 and the allocation of the allocation of private/public sector roles (MPHPT)
<Completed>
-- - Review of Guidelines on the Use of Utility Poles and Conduits Owned by Public Utility Entities (MPHPT)
--

(2) Promotion of the use of dark fiber (MPHPT, MLIT, METI, and the relevant office and ministries) - Public access to the information of optical fiber lines owned by electric power companies and railway companies (MLIT, METI)
<Completed> - Start of public access via the Web to the information of dark fiber using a link method (MPHPT, and the relevant office and ministries)
-- - Promotion of nationwide networks of public optical fiber accommodation spaces(MLIT)

(Further actions are in preparation by each electric power company for public access to detailed information such as area maps and section information of the lease services of optical fiber lines) - Organization and investigation of technical and systematic issues concerning private use of optical fiber used for road and river management (MLIT) - Revision or expression of interpretation of the Road Law as necessary based on the results of investigations (MLIT, and the relevant office and ministries)
--

(3) Facilitation of high-speed and ultra-high-speed Internet access at apartment complexes (MOJ, MPHPT, MLIT, METI)
-- - Expression of interpretation of the Law concerning Unit Ownership, etc. of Buildings based on actual circumstances of construction works for IT infrastructure (MOJ, MPHPT, MLIT, METI)
--
--

- Formulation of standards for introduction of IT in new apartment complexes (MLIT, MPHPT, METI) - Formulation of standards for introduction of IT in existing apartment complexes, creation of manuals for making a consensus on renovations, and creation of technical guidelines (MLIT, MPHPT, METI)

(4) Development of environments where private capabilities can be exercised by the promotion of fair competition (MPHPT, FTC) - Focus on actual enforcement following anticipated preparation and announcement by NTT of voluntary action plan to promote competition (MPHPT)
<Announcement already made on October 25> - Accelerated enforcement of the revised Telecommunications Business Law to encourage fair competition including asymmetrical regulations (set for November) (MPHPT)
- Establishment of the Telecommunications Business Dispute Settlement Commission (set for November) (MPHPT)
- Preparation of common guidelines concerning the promotion of competition in telecommunications business (set for November) (FTC, MPHPT)
- Preparation of guidelines that indicate the idea concerning approval of expansions of the scope of business of NTT East and NTT West (set for November) (MPHPT)
- Launch of new guidelines concerning the distinction between telecommunications and broadcasting (MPHPT)
- Unbundling of optical fiber networks used to provide Fiber- to-the-Home services (MPHPT)
- Development of competition environments for promoting new business models in telecommunications market (certain conclusions to be reached within this year) (MPHPT)
- Creation of a research group to consider systems for investigating and announcing the current usage of airwaves to effect an appropriate distribution of frequencies (certain conclusions to be reached within this year) (MPHPT)
- Improvement of the investigation structures of the FTC (FTC)

(5) Promotion of world-leading research and development (MPHPT, METI)
--
--
-- - Promotion of standardization of various IPv6-compatible technologies, including networkable home appliances and IX, for the purpose of diffusion of IPv6-equipped networks, through development, verification experiments, international joint testing in Asia, and government’s support measures (MPHPT, METI)
- Development and testing of ultra-high-speed network technologies by linking major research centers nationwide (MPHPT)

2. Enhancement of IT human resource development
<Target>
Become an IT human resource superpower by FY2005
(1) Digitization of school education (MEXT, MPHPT, METI)
--
-- - Promotion of ultra-high-speed Internet connections in schools and libraries, and development of related IT environments (MPHPT, MEXT)
- Assignment of 10,000 IT specialists to elementary, lower- and upper-secondary schools, etc. (MEXT)
- Further development of functions of National Information Center for Educational Resources (MEXT, MPHPT, METI)
- Implementation of IT Human Resource Development Scheme (promotion of high-speed and ultra-high-speed Internet access at schools, promotion of production and distribution of digital content, improvement of the IT instructional skills of teachers, improvement of the information literacy of the people, development of job-related IT skills, training of specialized IT human resources, etc.)
(MEXT, MPHPT, MHLW, METI, and the relevant office and ministries)

(2) Provision of IT learning opportunities (MEXT, MPHPT, MHLW, MAFF)
--
-- - Implementation of job-related IT skills development (MHLW)
- Creation of a support structure for improving IT skills of the people in local communities (MPHPT, MEXT)

--

(3) Development of IT specialists (MPHPT, MEXT, METI)
--
-- - Development of specialized IT human resources (MPHPT, MEXT, METI) - Promotion of further flexibility in approval of establishment of faculties (MEXT)

3. Facilitation of electronic commerce
<Target>
Large-scale increase in the scale of the business to business and business to consumer markets by FY2003
Creation of new rules (Cabinet Secretariat, Cabinet Office, MPHPT, MOJ, METI, FTC)
-- - Submission of a bill to create rules concerning the responsibilities of Internet service providers and others (MPHPT)
<Completed>
- Submission of a bill to allow electronic notification of general shareholders meetings, storage of corporate documents in electronic format, and electronic display of financial documents (MOJ)
<Completed>
- Promotion of protection of personal information based on the Law on the Protection of Personal Information (Draft) (Cabinet Secretariat, Cabinet Office)
- Submission of bills to revise related laws, including Patent Law, to clarify views concerning the protection of intellectual property rights with respect to Internet-based software transactions (METI)
- Formulation of regulations concerning electronic commerce (statutory interpretation guidelines) (METI)
- Clarification of interpretations of the Antimonopoly Act with respect to software licensing contracts (FTC)
- Strengthened supervision of misleading representations in electronic commerce and review of interpretations, announced in January, of Act Against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations (FTC)
- Promotion of the creation of rules concerning handling of rights involved in the distribution of digital content, and adoption of standard contracts concerning digital content (MPHPT, METI)
- Development of basic technology through trial testing of digital content distribution, and creation of rules concerning handling of rights (MPHPT, METI)

4. Digitization of the administration
<Target>
Establish the electronic government by FY2003
(1) Accelerated implementation of the electronic government (All the ministries)
-- - Accelerated implementation of some of the electronic filing procedures (METI)
- Adoption of operational policies and technical specifications for common IC cards among ministries (Cabinet Secretariat, and the relevant office and ministries)
- Enhancement of competition in bidding for public works, and appropriate implementation of general competitive bidding through electronic bidding and bid opening (MPHPT, MLIT, and the relevant office and ministries)
- Acceleration of implementing some of the procedures for the construction of certification systems and the Genera-Purpose Acceptance System (design procedures, etc.) (MPHPT, and the relevant office and ministries)
- Submission of a bill concerning electronic filing (MPHPT and other ministries)
- Acceleration of implementing some of the procedures for systems development of the one-stop services at ports by realizing a single window linking Nippon Automated Cargo Clearance System (NACCS)
(entire procedures to be completed in FY2003) (MOF, MOJ, MHLW, MAFF, METI, MLIT)
- Further accelerated implementation of the electronic filing (MPHPT, and the relevant ministries)
- Review of government procurement methods for information systems (Improvement of government procurement process on information services, including utilization of the methods on software development process improvement and assessment) (MPHPT, METI, MOF, and the relevant office and ministries)
- One year acceleration of electronic bidding and bid opening for public works (systems for full-scale launch to be introduced in FY2003) (MLIT)

(2) Promotion of electronic local governments (MPHPT and the relevant ministries)
-- - Support to advanced local governments for their e-government plans (MPHPT)
- Promotion of IT City Plan as a verification experiment of multi-purpose IC cards (METI)
- Submission of a bill necessary for construction of public individual certification service systems (MPHPT)
- Support for creating plans for the introduction of electronic bidding by local governments and its technical support (MPHPT, MLIT)
- Construction of local public networks for electronic local governments (MPHPT)
- Research and development, and tests on services for nationwide provision of public individual certification services (MPHPT, and the relevant office and ministries)
- Lending of systems for trials of electronic bidding by local governments and its technical support (MPHPT, MLIT)

(3) Introduction of IT to healthcare
(MHLW, MEXT, and the relevant office and ministries) - In order to construct foundations for IT-based healthcare, MHLW and MEXT will work together to start discussion, with the participation of the relevant ministries, on the use of unified terminologies, codes and standards to enable exchange of information among medical institutions. (Agreement to be reached among all involved ministries within FY2001) (MHLW, MEXT, and the relevant office and ministries)
<Completed> - Formulation of a strategic grand design for the introduction of IT to healthcare (an action plan with specific targets, deadlines and measures for the diffusion of electronic charts and computerization of receipts), which includes coordination with relevant authorities (MHLW)
--
--

(4) Promotion of trials of electronic voting in local elections (MPHPT)
-- - Submission of a bill to allow electronic voting in local elections, which includes coordination with the relevant authorities (MPHPT)
-- - Trial operations of electronic voting in local elections

5. Ensuring the security and reliability of advanced information and telecommunications networks
<Target>
Eliminate possibilities of service suspension, which arise from threats such as unauthorized access and may have a great influence upon everyday life of the Japanese and their socioeconomic activities
Implementation of a highly reliable electronic government (Cabinet Secretariat and all the ministries)
-- - Establishment of public/private sector cooperation and liaison structures concerning cyber -terrorism countermeasures (Cabinet Secretariat, and the relevant office and ministries)
- Adoption of guidelines with specific goals, deadlines, and methods necessary for ensuring the information security of the electronic government (Cabinet Secretariat and all the ministries)
<Completed>
- Establishment of a mobile technical unit, Cyber Force, against cyber-terrorism (NPA)
- Review of guidelines for the improvement in the security and reliability of next-generation mobile telecommunications networks (MPHPT)
- Development of systems for information collection and analysis concerning cyber-terrorism and cyber-demo abroad (METI)
- Enhancement of human and physical resources against cyber-terrorism (NPA)
- Revision of guidelines concerning information security policies (Cabinet Secretariat)
- Evaluation of cryptographic technologies (MPHPT, METI)

6. Spreading IT applications into people's daily lives
<Target>
Show the image of the world's most advanced IT nation not just to the Japanese people but to the entire world
Promotion of the e!Project (MPHPT, METI, MLIT, MEXT, MHLW, NPA, and the relevant office and ministries)
--
-- - Promotion of the introduction of IT in response to FIFA World CupTM (MLIT)
- Development and trials of advanced technologies in public areas (MPHPT, METI, MLIT)
- Development and testing of cutting-edge technologies and systems for advanced Internet foundations related to fields such as travel, business, lifestyles, education, healthcare, and welfare at international airports, multi-function urban districts, and local governments

Issues concerning the Rapid Formation of an IT-Based Society		1. Items that can be completed by this autumn.	2. Items that can be completed this year by implementing measures such as legislative amendments at an extraordinary session of the Diet.	3. Items that can be completed during FY2001.	4. Items that can be completed during FY2002.
1. Accelerated construction of the world's most advanced networks <Target> Create an environment within five years that enables at least 30 million households to have 24-hour high-speed Internet access and 10 million households 24-hour ultra-high-speed access.	(1) Promotion of the construction of high-speed and ultra-high-speed Internet infrastructure (MPHPT)	- Creation of National Broadband Initiative that includes a schedule for nationwide expansion of high-speed and ultra-high-speed networks by FY2005 and the allocation of the allocation of private/public sector roles (MPHPT) <Completed>	--	- Review of Guidelines on the Use of Utility Poles and Conduits Owned by Public Utility Entities (MPHPT)	--
	(2) Promotion of the use of dark fiber (MPHPT, MLIT, METI, and the relevant office and ministries)	- Public access to the information of optical fiber lines owned by electric power companies and railway companies (MLIT, METI) <Completed>	- Start of public access via the Web to the information of dark fiber using a link method (MPHPT, and the relevant office and ministries)	--	- Promotion of nationwide networks of public optical fiber accommodation spaces(MLIT)
		(Further actions are in preparation by each electric power company for public access to detailed information such as area maps and section information of the lease services of optical fiber lines)	- Organization and investigation of technical and systematic issues concerning private use of optical fiber used for road and river management (MLIT)	- Revision or expression of interpretation of the Road Law as necessary based on the results of investigations (MLIT, and the relevant office and ministries)	--
	(3) Facilitation of high-speed and ultra-high-speed Internet access at apartment complexes (MOJ, MPHPT, MLIT, METI)	--	- Expression of interpretation of the Law concerning Unit Ownership, etc. of Buildings based on actual circumstances of construction works for IT infrastructure (MOJ, MPHPT, MLIT, METI)	--	--
		--		- Formulation of standards for introduction of IT in new apartment complexes (MLIT, MPHPT, METI)	- Formulation of standards for introduction of IT in existing apartment complexes, creation of manuals for making a consensus on renovations, and creation of technical guidelines (MLIT, MPHPT, METI)
	(4) Development of environments where private capabilities can be exercised by the promotion of fair competition (MPHPT, FTC)	- Focus on actual enforcement following anticipated preparation and announcement by NTT of voluntary action plan to promote competition (MPHPT) <Announcement already made on October 25>	- Accelerated enforcement of the revised Telecommunications Business Law to encourage fair competition including asymmetrical regulations (set for November) (MPHPT) - Establishment of the Telecommunications Business Dispute Settlement Commission (set for November) (MPHPT) - Preparation of common guidelines concerning the promotion of competition in telecommunications business (set for November) (FTC, MPHPT) - Preparation of guidelines that indicate the idea concerning approval of expansions of the scope of business of NTT East and NTT West (set for November) (MPHPT) - Launch of new guidelines concerning the distinction between telecommunications and broadcasting (MPHPT) - Unbundling of optical fiber networks used to provide Fiber- to-the-Home services (MPHPT)	- Development of competition environments for promoting new business models in telecommunications market (certain conclusions to be reached within this year) (MPHPT) - Creation of a research group to consider systems for investigating and announcing the current usage of airwaves to effect an appropriate distribution of frequencies (certain conclusions to be reached within this year) (MPHPT)	- Improvement of the investigation structures of the FTC (FTC)
	(5) Promotion of world-leading research and development (MPHPT, METI)	--	--	--	- Promotion of standardization of various IPv6-compatible technologies, including networkable home appliances and IX, for the purpose of diffusion of IPv6-equipped networks, through development, verification experiments, international joint testing in Asia, and government’s support measures (MPHPT, METI) - Development and testing of ultra-high-speed network technologies by linking major research centers nationwide (MPHPT)
2. Enhancement of IT human resource development <Target> Become an IT human resource superpower by FY2005	(1) Digitization of school education (MEXT, MPHPT, METI)	--	--	- Promotion of ultra-high-speed Internet connections in schools and libraries, and development of related IT environments (MPHPT, MEXT) - Assignment of 10,000 IT specialists to elementary, lower- and upper-secondary schools, etc. (MEXT) - Further development of functions of National Information Center for Educational Resources (MEXT, MPHPT, METI)	- Implementation of IT Human Resource Development Scheme (promotion of high-speed and ultra-high-speed Internet access at schools, promotion of production and distribution of digital content, improvement of the IT instructional skills of teachers, improvement of the information literacy of the people, development of job-related IT skills, training of specialized IT human resources, etc.) (MEXT, MPHPT, MHLW, METI, and the relevant office and ministries)
	(2) Provision of IT learning opportunities (MEXT, MPHPT, MHLW, MAFF)	--	--	- Implementation of job-related IT skills development (MHLW) - Creation of a support structure for improving IT skills of the people in local communities (MPHPT, MEXT)	--
	(3) Development of IT specialists (MPHPT, MEXT, METI)	--	--	- Development of specialized IT human resources (MPHPT, MEXT, METI)	- Promotion of further flexibility in approval of establishment of faculties (MEXT)
3. Facilitation of electronic commerce <Target> Large-scale increase in the scale of the business to business and business to consumer markets by FY2003	Creation of new rules (Cabinet Secretariat, Cabinet Office, MPHPT, MOJ, METI, FTC)	--	- Submission of a bill to create rules concerning the responsibilities of Internet service providers and others (MPHPT) <Completed> - Submission of a bill to allow electronic notification of general shareholders meetings, storage of corporate documents in electronic format, and electronic display of financial documents (MOJ) <Completed> - Promotion of protection of personal information based on the Law on the Protection of Personal Information (Draft) (Cabinet Secretariat, Cabinet Office)	- Submission of bills to revise related laws, including Patent Law, to clarify views concerning the protection of intellectual property rights with respect to Internet-based software transactions (METI) - Formulation of regulations concerning electronic commerce (statutory interpretation guidelines) (METI) - Clarification of interpretations of the Antimonopoly Act with respect to software licensing contracts (FTC) - Strengthened supervision of misleading representations in electronic commerce and review of interpretations, announced in January, of Act Against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations (FTC) - Promotion of the creation of rules concerning handling of rights involved in the distribution of digital content, and adoption of standard contracts concerning digital content (MPHPT, METI)	- Development of basic technology through trial testing of digital content distribution, and creation of rules concerning handling of rights (MPHPT, METI)
4. Digitization of the administration <Target> Establish the electronic government by FY2003	(1) Accelerated implementation of the electronic government (All the ministries)	--	- Accelerated implementation of some of the electronic filing procedures (METI) - Adoption of operational policies and technical specifications for common IC cards among ministries (Cabinet Secretariat, and the relevant office and ministries) - Enhancement of competition in bidding for public works, and appropriate implementation of general competitive bidding through electronic bidding and bid opening (MPHPT, MLIT, and the relevant office and ministries)	- Acceleration of implementing some of the procedures for the construction of certification systems and the Genera-Purpose Acceptance System (design procedures, etc.) (MPHPT, and the relevant office and ministries) - Submission of a bill concerning electronic filing (MPHPT and other ministries) - Acceleration of implementing some of the procedures for systems development of the one-stop services at ports by realizing a single window linking Nippon Automated Cargo Clearance System (NACCS) (entire procedures to be completed in FY2003) (MOF, MOJ, MHLW, MAFF, METI, MLIT)	- Further accelerated implementation of the electronic filing (MPHPT, and the relevant ministries) - Review of government procurement methods for information systems (Improvement of government procurement process on information services, including utilization of the methods on software development process improvement and assessment) (MPHPT, METI, MOF, and the relevant office and ministries) - One year acceleration of electronic bidding and bid opening for public works (systems for full-scale launch to be introduced in FY2003) (MLIT)
	(2) Promotion of electronic local governments (MPHPT and the relevant ministries)	--		- Support to advanced local governments for their e-government plans (MPHPT) - Promotion of IT City Plan as a verification experiment of multi-purpose IC cards (METI) - Submission of a bill necessary for construction of public individual certification service systems (MPHPT) - Support for creating plans for the introduction of electronic bidding by local governments and its technical support (MPHPT, MLIT) - Construction of local public networks for electronic local governments (MPHPT)	- Research and development, and tests on services for nationwide provision of public individual certification services (MPHPT, and the relevant office and ministries) - Lending of systems for trials of electronic bidding by local governments and its technical support (MPHPT, MLIT)
	(3) Introduction of IT to healthcare (MHLW, MEXT, and the relevant office and ministries)	- In order to construct foundations for IT-based healthcare, MHLW and MEXT will work together to start discussion, with the participation of the relevant ministries, on the use of unified terminologies, codes and standards to enable exchange of information among medical institutions. (Agreement to be reached among all involved ministries within FY2001) (MHLW, MEXT, and the relevant office and ministries) <Completed>	- Formulation of a strategic grand design for the introduction of IT to healthcare (an action plan with specific targets, deadlines and measures for the diffusion of electronic charts and computerization of receipts), which includes coordination with relevant authorities (MHLW)	--	--
	(4) Promotion of trials of electronic voting in local elections (MPHPT)	--	- Submission of a bill to allow electronic voting in local elections, which includes coordination with the relevant authorities (MPHPT)	--	- Trial operations of electronic voting in local elections
5. Ensuring the security and reliability of advanced information and telecommunications networks <Target> Eliminate possibilities of service suspension, which arise from threats such as unauthorized access and may have a great influence upon everyday life of the Japanese and their socioeconomic activities	Implementation of a highly reliable electronic government (Cabinet Secretariat and all the ministries)	--	- Establishment of public/private sector cooperation and liaison structures concerning cyber -terrorism countermeasures (Cabinet Secretariat, and the relevant office and ministries) - Adoption of guidelines with specific goals, deadlines, and methods necessary for ensuring the information security of the electronic government (Cabinet Secretariat and all the ministries) <Completed> - Establishment of a mobile technical unit, Cyber Force, against cyber-terrorism (NPA)	- Review of guidelines for the improvement in the security and reliability of next-generation mobile telecommunications networks (MPHPT) - Development of systems for information collection and analysis concerning cyber-terrorism and cyber-demo abroad (METI) - Enhancement of human and physical resources against cyber-terrorism (NPA)	- Revision of guidelines concerning information security policies (Cabinet Secretariat) - Evaluation of cryptographic technologies (MPHPT, METI)
6. Spreading IT applications into people's daily lives <Target> Show the image of the world's most advanced IT nation not just to the Japanese people but to the entire world	Promotion of the e!Project (MPHPT, METI, MLIT, MEXT, MHLW, NPA, and the relevant office and ministries)	--	--	- Promotion of the introduction of IT in response to FIFA World CupTM (MLIT) - Development and trials of advanced technologies in public areas (MPHPT, METI, MLIT)	- Development and testing of cutting-edge technologies and systems for advanced Internet foundations related to fields such as travel, business, lifestyles, education, healthcare, and welfare at international airports, multi-function urban districts, and local governments