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Updated: May 1, 2002

Promoting information systems in regional communities

Information-oriented development helps to create independent and unique regional communities.

• The New Media Community Concept

  The New media community concept contributes to the realization of rich and profitable regional communities.

  In order to promote the use of advanced information in society smoothly, the promotion of developing local communities into information-oriented ones has to be well balanced nation wide. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has adopted the slogan of "Concept of New Media Community" to describe the demand in regional industry, society, and life for the development and establishment of an environment that will enable greater use of information systems.

  • Projects for promoting information technology in regional communities
    • Technical consultation and advice regarding the introduction of the information system into local communities
    • Supporting the research to introduce a regional information-oriented system
    • Supporting development of experimental systems in order to effectively realize regional information-oriented systems
    • Research on maintaining human resource numbers to promote information technology in local communities by developing regions into more information-oriented ones smoothly (Intellectual Property Network Research)
    • Holding "The National Meeting to Promote Information Technology in Local Communities, Festa for promoting information technology" and managing "The Nationwide Regional Information-Oriented Network (Rio-Net)" on our website to encourage information sharing
    

• The Advanced Information City Concept

  In 1986, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry proposed the "Advanced Information City Concept". At the time, this was expected to be introduced in the 21st century, aiming to compete in international and information age by gaining the initiative in establishing an advanced information system.

  Past main activities are as follows:

  • Participated in Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's working group in a model town's "Advanced Information City Concept Committee", and proposed activities. *Total of 9 areas from 1987-1990.
  • Developed and applied concepts in rural main cities and conducted proposal activities with exploratory study group activities within every sub-region in 13 areas from 1991-1998.
  • Held 30 study meetings for 30 unique important issues from 1991-2000
  • Prioritized the important goal of cooperation with the wider area and conducted proposal activities with exploratory study group activities within every sub-region in 6 areas from 1977-2000

• The Mellow Society Concept

  One of the aims of the Mellow Society Concept is elderly persons` active participation in society by utilizing information and communication systems. We conducted related projects as follows:

  • Research on developing the Mellow Society model from 1992-1994.
  • Research on the development of general information systems based on the Supporting Elderly Persons models from 1993-1996
  • Research on the development of general health management and health improvement systems from 1995-1997
  • Verification projects on electronic commerce for out-going elderly people from 1998-1999
  • Projects on supporting venture businesses by seniors based on the Utilizing Information System model from 1998-2000
  • Promoting greater use of the following research activities listed below:
    • Research on equipment and systems elderly-"friendly"
    • Research on information-oriented environments which could be a focal point of social life for elderly people
    • Research concerning advisors who could provide informational help for seniors.
    • Research on seniors` own collaboration to make their own markets
    • Holding symposiums and exhibiting technology instrument for the elderly.

• Wide Area System Project to Establish Social Systems

  There is a growing necessity to change from the centralization in Tokyo to regional cooperation to create new living spaces with cooperation and communication among the region to be established within the country for the 21st century. On the other hand, the progress of B2B transaction on the Internet is globally increasing rapidly. Some Japanese small to medium businesses, which are the wellspring of Japanese vitality, are not fully utilizing the excellent inherent Internet technologies and services because they are engaging business in limited customer and sales channels.

  Because of this situation, there have been demands to develop systems which will enable business management resources, such as excellent products and technologies and local ventures for small medium businesses in the regions, to be distributed using IT and to unite them organically to industries, universities, and local governments.

  In current projects, functions have been provided both for making information seamless, cooperative and distributed in wide areas while offering value added services such as authentication and e-payment systems as Common Platform. These projects are providing business application services in various sectors, aiming to develop an Internet Usage Environment so that local governments and companies will be able to receive the following benefits from the below developments.

  • Promotion projects to connect local information systems and to establish networks
  • Development of distribution channels for wide area information cooperation to support ventures and small to large businesses