Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > WHITE PAPER ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY2003 > Part3 3.3 3.3.6 3.3.6.5

  Research and development for science and technology represents an effort to discover new intellectual frontiers,based on the broad range of knowledge accumulated throughout history of mankind.The effective utilization of accumulated science and technology information is essential to research and development.Moreover,with the progress of science and technology in recent years,the necessity of developing networks,databases,and other research information infrastructure has continued to increase in importance.

  In much the same manner as the Internet,which originated in the U.S.as a research information network and has grown to where it is now utilized in a variety of fields,the pioneering computerize-tion of research fields is expected to fulfill a leading role in the development of information technology(IT)in the society at large.

  For this reason,the Science and Technology Basic Law clearly sets forth the obligations of the national government in relation to the promotion of computerization in research and development,while the Second Science and Technology Basic Plan sets forth the importance of developing a research information infrastructure.

  The national government is taking concrete action through efforts such as the provision of computers and development of LANs at research organizations;the development and upgrading of networks between research institutes;the development and provision of databases;the sharing of research information through the use of networks;and the strengthening of electronic library service at university libraries.

  An overview of the main measures for research information infrastructure in FY2002 is shown in Table3-3-31

Table3-3-31Measures(in brief)for distribution of science and technology information (in FY2002)

  Computers and information networks are key systems for our modern society.These were first developed for research and development and afterwards found a variety of different applications.In order to carry out cutting edge research and development,performance enhancements are necessary for computers and networks.

  In terms of developing networks,the National Institute of Informatics(NII)has established and operates the Science Information Network(SINET 78) ),which connects organizations such as universities.As of January2003,a total of747organizations were connected to SINET.

  In addition,"Super SINET,"the world's fastest research network,which connects advanced scientific research institutes at a maximum speed of10Gbps(gigabits per second),commenced operations in January2002.Moreover,the Inter-Ministry Research Information Network(IMnet 79) ),operated by the Japan Science and Technology Corporation(JST),and which brings together research institutes under different government ministries,is being integrated in phases into SINET.The Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries has established and operates the MAFFIN Network(Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries Network),which mutually connects research institutes related to agriculture,forestry,and fisheries.As of March2003,a total of98institutes were connected through MAFFIN 80) .

  These networks are now being upgraded for better security and compatibility with IPv6.With SINET now linked to the United States,the United Kingdom,and Thailand,IMnet linked to the United States and South Korea,and MAFFIN linked to the Philippines,the networks are now becoming backbones for distribution of research information among various countries.

  Furthermore,in July1998the networks of each government ministry were utilized to establish the Asia-Pacific Advanced Network Consortium(APAN 81) ),which connects the U.S.and the APEC region.

  In addition,the Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Technology MEXT promotes the development of campus information networks(campus LAN),which connect various computers and telecommunications equipment within each university,as well as the upgrading of campus LAN through the adoption of Asynchronous Transfer Mode(ATM)systems and gigabit networks.Furthermore,the Ministry subsidizes private universities for the costs necessary to the development of campus LAN.

  The Ministry of Public Management,Home Affairs,Posts and Telecommunications invests in the Telecommunications Advancement Organization of Japan(TAO)to develop the Japan Gigabit Network(JGN 82) ),which is based on a nationwide ultra high speed optical network,as well as joint use research and development facilities.This network will be open and available for use through the end of FY2003,and will serve as a test bed for technologies necessary to the advancement of networks,and for research and development on applications utilizing high-speed networks.The network has been also compatible with IPv6 in October2001.

  The use of computer simulations has become essential in order to further research and development efforts in cutting edge fields such as the aerospace,environment,life sciences,and sub-stance/materials sectors.These computer simulations are made possible through the use of computer-based calculations,and are positioned as a third research method next to the research methods of"theory"and"experimentation."For this reason,universities,research institutes,and other organizations are adopting equipment such as high performance supercomputers.Since FY2000,MEXT has been playing a central role in the creation of a high-speed network that links supercomputers and databases of Japan's research institutes,and in efforts to promote the IT-Based Laboratory(ITBL)concept,which represents a virtual research environment for the implementation of advanced research.MEXT is also playing a central role in efforts such as the creation of the Tsukuba Wide Area Network(Tsukuba WAN),a system of high-speed networks that connects research institutes in the Tsukuba Science City that are equipped with supercomputers.Thus MEXT is promoting joint research at the Tsukuba Science City in computational science and technology fields.Additionally,in December2002the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries established the Joint Use Telecommunications Hall,which bears the function of serving as a connection base between the Tsukuba WAN and the Norin Kenkyu Danchi(Norin Research Complex)WAN.

  Perusal,copying,lending,and other clearing services of primary information(source materials for research papers,etc.)are being implemented at libraries and a variety of other information service organizations.

  In order to create a database of primary information,the National Diet Library(NDL)is preparing a database for collected materials which covers every publication issued in Japan and in the archives of the library.This database is being made available over the Internet.In addition,as for the National Institute of Informatics(NII)in cooperation with national,public,and private universities nationwide compiles the union catalog databases of academic books and serials in the collection of university libraries.

  Furthermore,the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries is creating a reference material management system that includes an information database for books and documents found at the independent administrative research institutes of the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries.

  In addition,constructing databases of secondary information by using computers enables swift,accurate,and easy searching of increasing information.The Japan Science and Technology Corporation(JST)is collecting information related to science and technology sectors from50countries,and is constructing a science and technology document database with880,000entries annually.This database is being made available through the JST Online Information System(JOIS),which allows for access over the Internet.Furthermore,NII creates data-bases for academic research,and provides a database service through the Science Information Network(SINET).

  Additionally,JST has created and been operating a joint system that allows for the on-line writing,editing,and publication of research paper periodicals and so forth issued by academic societies,etc.

  Moreover,the Japan Patent Office provides and operates the Industrial Property Digital Library(IPDL 83) ),which allows users to search and extract patent bulletins and other information over the Internet.

  The Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Fish-eries provides the Japanese Agricultural Sciences Index(JASI 84) )of articles published in academic journals related to the agriculture,forestry,and fisheries fields online,and jointly creates and offers information on documents related to the agriculture,forestry,and fisheries fields in its position of responsibility for information provision from Japan for the International Information Systems for the Agricultural Sciences Technology(AGRIS 85) )and the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts(ASFA 86) )databases prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO 87) ).

  The Japan Science and Technology Corporation(JST)is upgrading databases essential to the development of bioinformatics,expanding the Institute for Bioinformatics Research and Development that will support promotion of standardization and R&D,and developing databases on compounds,alloys,and other substances,as well as on genetic information,that are equipped with simulation functions and other advanced functions.JST is also implementing a program to support conversion of the knowledge stock accumulated at national re-search institutions and other organizations into databases,for broad distribution over the Internet.

  Furthermore,the Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Technology(MEXT)promotes the development of various scientific databases of national universities and the National Institute of Informatics(NII).MEXT also provides subsidies for the creation of databases by university researchers and academic societies.

  The Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry,and Fisheries is engaged in development of a system that can coordinate various distributed management databases and allow their linked use over networks.

  The Japan Science and Technology Corporation(JST)provides information covering the research facilities,research themes,researchers,and research resources of national research institutes etc.on the Internet,while the National Institute of Informatics(NII)provides such information on universities etc..Such system of the Japan Science and Technology Corporation is known as the Directory Database of Research and Development Activities(ReaD),while the system of NII is known as Directory of Research Activities and Resources(NACSIS-DiRR).Moreover,NACSIS-DiRR will be integrated into ReaD in April2003.Information related to agriculture,forestry,and fisheries research subjects has now been converted by the Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry,and Fisheries into databases usable as research planning and support systems,and these are now available on the Internet.

  University libraries play an important role as fundamental facilities that support education and research activities at universities,etc.In addition,university libraries are increasingly expected to offer diverse and advanced information services according to the advances of multimedia technology and the growth of the Internet in recent years.

  The Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Technology(MEXT)is carrying out policy that attains full reinforcement of digital library function.

  To that end,the Ministry is focused on several policies:Improvement of the prototype digital library of the Nara Institute of Science and Technology(NAIST).

  Promotion of the advanced digital library projects of four libraries of the National Universities.According to the Science and Technology Basic Plan,MEXT budgets for electronic journals of some specified fields,which are published in electronic text or hypertext format and are available for access on the Internet,then systematic use of electronic journals.

  The Japan Science and Technology Corporation(JST)is working every year to enhance the Scientific and Technical Information Network(STN International)originally constructed in1987among the Chemical Abstracts Service(CAS)of the United States and the FIZ-Karlsruhe organization of Germany.STN International today services more than200categories of databases.

  Regarding cooperation with Asia,JST opened a Malaysian office in1997,and developed cooperative activities to promote the international distribution of science and technology information.More-over,research information related to science and technology in Japan is actively being converted into English for transmission via the Internet to many other countries.

  Furthermore,the National Institute of Informatics(NII)is promoting the international distribution of scientific data,through efforts such as providing information exchange and information searching services with research institutes and other organizations abroad,using research networks connected to the Science Information Network(SINET).