From a material resource-dependent society to an information resource-dependent
society
All things are generally considered to comprise material elements and information
ones. In fact, human history can be interpreted as the history of the interaction
between human beings, materials and information. In modern times, rapid scientific
and technological progress in the utilization of materials has brought about
the Industrial Revolution and other sweeping changes in human society. Such
changes, however, were not attended by rapid progress in the utilization of
information. Through rapid advancements in the ability of humankind to utilize
the material resources, modern civilization has attained unprecedented material
prosperity while at the same time making evident the limitations of worldwide
resources and the Earth's environment.
Recent years have seen rapid progress in science and technology related to
the generation, processing, transmission, accumulation, storage and utilization
of information - a field known collectively as information science and technology.
Humankind's ability to utilize information has been magnified by leaps and
bounds by the computers and networks that process and transmit information.
These and other technologies have created the circumstances in which information
can serve as the primary element comprising civilization in company with materials
and, in some aspects, replacing materials.
We must now respond proactively to the new conditions surrounding information
in order to construct a better society where information is used effectively
and appropriately. This entails effecting the transition from a material resource-dependent
society, based on the mass-production and mass-consumption of materials, to
an information resource-dependent society, which enables sustainable development.
It must be noted here that an information resource-dependent society will
not eliminate the importance of material resources, but instead will use material
resources more effectively and efficiently through the utilization of information.
Among the properties of information there are those that are common to all
information and specific properties that vary depending on the thing or field
from which a piece of information arises. Today, information is generated
in sundry fields and in amounts so massive as to make comprehensive understanding
a formidable task. Computers and other tools for manipulating information
first arose in scientific and technical fields in the natural sciences, but
they are expected to make a new development through the extensive use in other
aspects of the natural sciences, namely, the life sciences, humanities and
social sciences. In view of this state of affairs concerning information,
the issue that must now be addressed in science is to establish informatics
as an academic field studying the systematic comprehension and utilization
of information spanning diverse fields.
Social change induced by information science and technology
Including such issues as the above, developments in information science and
technology, which represent humankind's intellectual and creative products,
are already bringing about rapid change in various aspects of society. Centering
on computers and networks, the relatively recent development and universalization
of information science and technology are enabling a greater number of people
to utilize information in greater quantities, at faster speeds, in more advanced
ways, more easily, at lower costs, and over greater distances than ever before.
This will trigger not just quantitative but also qualitative changes in the
use and role of information in society, resulting in the creation, in the
21st century, of a society that depends on information science and technology
in every respect, from social systems to individual lifestyles and how the
jobs of science are carried out. We need first of all the maintaining of a
broad awareness of the diverse social possibilities of advancements in information
science and technology and efforts to actualize those possibilities. At the
same time, the readiness to fully recognize and appropriately respond to the
new issues that arise from the information-induced changes in society is also
needed. 1.) The diverse possibilities of information science and technology
Progress in information science and technology will first of all greatly increase
the degree of freedom of individual choice and action and make more-affluent
lifestyles possible. By expanding the range of communications over time and
distance, the spread of network-linked computers will deepen the connections
among individuals, enabling the individual not only to acquire information
(from the diverse information available) but also to disseminate information
and help the individual engage in activities beyond geographic, physical and
other restrictions. As information science technology progresses, will make
work more efficient, allowing people to engage in more-creative work and proving
them with the time and resources to enjoy life. In various aspects of an individual
life, the use of information science and technology will lead to new services
and greater convenience, thereby providing a broad range of options encompassing
differing beliefs and values.
Moreover, information science and technology possess great potential for changing
the economy and society in beneficial ways; in that the utilization of information
science and technology will greatly raise the productivity of existing industries
and also encourage the creation of new industries through the commercialization
of new technologies and the fusing of disparate fields. This, in turn, should
expedite the transition to a sustainable economic structure that actualizes
even higher added value and which does not rely on the consumption of mass
quantities of material resources.
Furthermore, information science and technology will also bring about important
changes in methods of research and development, thereby accelerating the pace
of scientific and technological progress. 2.) New issues that arise from social changes induced by information science
and technology
As society is changed by information science and technology, information literacy
(i.e., the skill to use information effectively) will become indispensable,
requiring measures to enable people to acquire those skills, as well as measures
to ensure that those with inadequate information literacy are not left behind.
Additionally, the glut of information flowing over networks creates the issues
of how to choose needed information among the vast amounts available, how
to respond to the dissemination of harmful or inappropriate information, and
how to protect individual privacy amid the flow of individual information.
As more and more important individual, governmental, and economic activities
take place over networks, security measures to protect against illegal acts
will be needed, as will highly reliable systems designed to withstand disasters.
In addition, the previously unforeseen problems that can occur as a result
of the rapid information technology of financial and other economic systems
must be properly understood. The so-called Year 2000 problem is one example
of an important yet unforeseen problem resulting from the information technology
of various activities in society. Interpreting information science and technology
in a way that encompasses such social issues requires the perspectives of
ethics, law, and other areas of the humanities and the social sciences.
Information science and technology as the intellectual and creative
foundation of society
As stated above, it will be impossible to support the advanced activities
of tomorrow's society without information science and technology, which are
the intellectual and creative products of research and development. In short,
information science and technology can be considered the intellectual and
creative foundation of society.
Furthermore, in order to actually serve society as its intellectual and creative
foundation, information science and technology must be promoted with a broad
viewpoint that addresses the questions of which social needs to emphasize
in the utilization of information as the 21st century approaches, how to utilize
information science and technology to actualize this, and how research and
development in information science and technology should be pursued.
The promotion of information science and technology requires proper awareness
of the characteristics of information science and technology, such as the
following.
First of all, in information science and technology, although new methods
and techniques tend to be established and adopted over a long period of time,
the results of basic research tend to come into actual use quickly, as with
software. In such cases, the traditional view of the research and development
process as a one-way, gradual process in which application and use follow
basic research does not apply.
Additionally, results are strongly dependent on individual creativity, as
with software and other types of content. In other words, individuals are
important elements in research and development. This fact makes it important
to create an environment where talented individuals can demonstrate their
full capabilities.
Moreover, both information science and technology itself and its needs are
extremely diverse and change extremely rapidly, necessitating flexibility
in response.
The circumstances and issues surrounding research and development in
information science and technology
1.)The circumstances surrounding research and development in information science
and technology
Other nations, with a heightened awareness of the importance of information
science technology of society, are actively implementing national programs
that position information science and technology as the foundation. The United
States, for instance, is promoting the National Information Infrastructure
(NII) concept to improve the country's information infrastructure (including
hardware, software and human resources) with the objective of creating jobs,
providing people with equal opportunities to enjoy related services, and enhancing
the international competitiveness of the private sector. Research and development
programs being implemented under NII include the High Performance Computing
and Communications (HPCC) project, a joint effort of government, the private
sector and academia broad in scope to include computing and networks; and
its successor, the Computing, Information and Communications Research and
Development (CIC) project. Europe, in addition to the projects of individual
nations, is implementing the European Strategic Program for Research and Development
in Information Technologies (ESPRIT) and various other research and development
programs concerning information science and technology under the EU Fourth
Framework Program, also a joint effort of government, the private sector,
and academia.
One example of G7 cooperation is the G7 Information Society Pilot Program,
which comprises 11 themes, such as wide-area network interoperability, electronic
libraries, healthcare applications, and electronic government.
In Japan, the Advanced Information and Telecommunications Society Promotion
Headquarters was established under the Cabinet in August 1994 "to comprehensively
promote policies aimed at achieving in Japan an advanced information- and
communications-based society, and to cooperate with international endeavors
intended to develop advanced information and communications." The headquaters
then set the Basic Guidelines on the Promotion of an Advanced Information
and Telecommunications Society" (revised in November 1998). Through these
actions and others the government has strengthened measures, including those
in research and development relating to information science and technology,
to achieve an advanced information- and communications-based society. 2.) The issues surrounding research and development in information science
and technology
With not just the private sector but also the government actively involved
in research and development relating to information science and technology,
the issues that must be overcome are becoming clear.
First of all, with other nations taking an increasingly active stance toward
information science and technology, there are concerns that Japan on the whole
may be falling behind in information science and technology. Japan is particularly
lagging in the field of software. Japan would also seem wanting in the vitality
needed to rapidly turn new ideas into software or other concrete forms for
society to use.
In addition, Japan may occupy an advanced position in some areas of information
science and technology in international terms, but is nonetheless recognized
as being poor at basic and generic areas of information science and technology,
particularly in comparison to the United States. Japan's government research
and development institutes should play an important role in research and development
in basic and generic areas of information science and technology, yet do not
possess a sufficient organization. For instance, their information science
and technology departments are too small.
Additionally, securing capable personnel, such as researchers and research
assistants, is particularly important in the research and development and
utilization of information science and technology, but in Japan's case this
pool of talent is recognized as being too small.
In Japan there is also currently insufficient cooperation among private, public,
and academic organizations, particularly between organizations involved in
research and development and those involved in utilization. Such cooperation
is important for the invigoration of researchers and research and development
institutes and the development and utilization of results.
The circumstances and issues surrounding the distribution of scientific
and technical information
1.) The circumstances surrounding the distribution of scientific and technical
information
As stated above, the role of information in society is growing, a fact that
is particularly obvious with respect to scientific and technical information
as defined broadly to include everything from the natural sciences to the
humanities and the social sciences. Today, with science and technology such
an integral part of society, scientific and technical information is essential
to social and economic activity, and the demand for such information continues
to grow. Scientific and technical information, in addition to being essential
for solving the various problems faced by mankind and for the expansion of
creative research and development, is itself also a collective intellectual
asset and an important collective resource of all humankind.
The age of networks has greatly changed the form of scientific and technical
information and the manner in which such information is distributed.
First of all, the form of scientific and technical information has diversified.
In the past, the various data and facts obtained by experimentation, observation
and calculation and so on ("fact data"), along with documents, articles and
other types of information, existed as separate pieces of information. Today,
however, an increasing portion of information exists in integrated, composite
forms combining multiple types or formats. Moreover, information in new formats,
such as images, video, and audio, continues to grow.
As for the distribution of scientific and technical information, paper was
once the primary medium, with electronic media playing a supplementary role,
but today the world is in a transitional period as electronic media become
the primary form of information and networks become the primary means of distribution.
The spread of networks, including the Internet, and the World Wide Web (www)
is making the flow of information two-way rather than one-way, allowing for
sources of information that are more numerous and more widely dispersed, shortening
the delay between the dissemination and utilization of information, and increasing
the needs of ordinary, nonspecialist users. In these and other ways, the distribution
of scientific and technical information is being transformed in important
ways.
The age of networks is even changing the very way in which research and development
are approached. For instance, with networks, researchers in different locations
can work together as a team by discussing through email and electronic conferencing
and sharing software and experimental data.
In such circumstances, infrastructure improvements designed to facilitate
the distribution of scientific and technical information and to promote the
information technology of research and development not only provide important
public goods, but also encourage the formation of new industries.
As for efforts by advanced foreign nations relating to the distribution of
scientific and technical information, academic societies, associations, and
the publishing industry, among others, are leading the drive to adopt electronic
means of disseminating information. At the same time, electronically published
magazines and existing databases are being linked to actively collect and
distribute information. The U.S., in particular, is moving ahead with providing
the database and distribution of earth observation and various other types
of data as part of efforts to develop revolutionary, new applications under
the aforementioned CIC research and development program. Under the digital
library initiative, research and development programs are being jointly implemented
by government, the private sector, and academia in such areas as the databasing
of multimedia data and the development of user interface technology. Meanwhile,
Germany is developing information distribution policies centering on digital
libraries and electronic publishing. In addition, other EU nations are moving
ahead with research and development on electronic commerce and on applications
of network-based information distribution, such as telemedicine and tele-eduction.
2.) The issues surrounding the distribution of scientific and technical
information
In Japan, as well, efforts to facilitate the network-based distribution of
scientific and technical information are urgently needed, but issues such
as the following must first be resolved.
First of all, the results of Japan's research and development must be disseminated
worldwide if Japan's research and development is to achieve international
recognition and if Japan is to play a central role in the Asian region. Yet
Japan is lacking with respect to the publication of world-class academic journals
and the abilities of Japan's researchers to disseminate information. There
are other reasons that information from Japan's research community is not
adequately utilized overseas, including the lack of information directories
and barriers of language and institution.
Despite the increasing dependence of research and development on databases
and other forms of scientific and technical information, Japan's databases
are insufficient and make too little information available to the public.
Particularly in regards to fact databases, Japan possesses few world-class
databases, and is therefore highly dependent on foreign databases, because
of low overall awareness of the need to improve the research and development
infrastructure, because of the low evaluation by research and development
institutes to databasing activities of their personnel, and because of the
weak cooperative relationship that exist between research and development
institutes and the organizations involved in information distribution.
In the area of bibliographical information, there have been inadequate efforts
to improve the electronic distribution environment through digitization, electronic
libraries, and other measures to make use of the advantages of electronic
formats. Efforts have also been lacking in the comprehensive databasing of
abstracts, directories and other information despite the nationwide need for
such databases to use information effectively. Moreover, there have been only
limited efforts to standardize information and related software in response
to the diversification and internationalization of information distribution.
Furthermore, the preparation and disclosure of information concerning government
research and development is important to assure government accountability
to the public with respect to research and development, but has not progressed
sufficiently.
As for the collection and accumulation of scientific and technical information,
the growing quantity and rising price of scientific and technological journals
are making collection efforts by Japan's information distribution institutes
increasingly limited, and are preventing the nation as a whole from accumulating
comprehensive information. In addition, the current status of accumulating
and storing information electronically is also inadequate in view of the increasing
use of multimedia formats in scientific and technical information. With respect
to the ease of use of scientific and technical information, the flood of information
on networks has made it more difficult to find needed, reliable information.
Databases of scientific and technical information, meanwhile, are difficult
for the nonspecialist to use.
Among institutions involved in the distribution of scientific and technical
information, cooperative relationships intended to resolve network-related
issues are important, but they have yet to be established. Such institutions,
along with research and development institutes, have not made sufficient progress
in training or acquiring specialists responsible for information distribution,
while researchers in scientific and technical fields are not sufficiently
skilled at disseminating and utilizing information.
Moreover, the distribution of scientific and technical information in electronic
formats requires flexible pricing structures and electronic commerce to handle
pricing and settlement, as well as simple and easy-to-use rights processing
systems for handling copyrights, which provide rights-related information,
for instance.
Section 2: Basic Ideas on the Strategic Promotion of Information
Science and Technology
In the strategic promotion of information science and technology in preparation
for the 21st century, research and development relating to information science
and technology, as well as the distribution of scientific and technical information,
should be pursued in accordance with the following basic ideas.
Promoting research and development in information science and technology
< Strengthening basic and generic information science and technology with
clear orientation towards society's needs>
As information science and technology will shape the future of 21st-century
society as the society's intellectual and creative foundation, Japan must
strive to be a global frontrunner in information science and technology by
establishing strong research and development capabilities in the field of
information science and technology, and by creating an environment in which
the results of that research and development are utilized throughout society.
To be effective, the promotion of research and development in information
science and technology must agree with the characteristics of information
science and technology, as described below.
First, because information science and technology is one of the foundations
of society and is an important tool in many fields, related research and development
must respond to society's needs; must make its results available for immediate
use, and must focus on far-reaching topics applicable to many fields. Here,
the phrase "responding to society's needs" means that research and development
in information science and technology should strive to produce useful results
through a clear awareness of direction and objectives. Needs are defined not
merely as specific, immediate needs, but rather as those viewed with a long-term
perspective and with a broad interpretation of society and science and technology.
The types of needs that must be emphasized are discussed later.
It being thus important that information science and technology be utilized
in actual society, the promotion of related research and development requires
not merely tackling issues of advanced science and technology, but also a
perspective that takes into account such factors as technical standards and
market trends, and which strives to produce information science and technology
that will actually be used.
In addition, as in the case of software, the results of basic research in
information science and technology tend to come into actual use quickly, necessitating
an environment that permits close cooperation linking endeavors at each stage,
from basic research to actual utilization.
Again as in the case of software, innovative results in information science
and technology are not infrequently achieved by a small number of specialists
or even a single specialist. This necessitates a system that uses competitive
funding and flexible research management to assure that individuals and groups
with such potential are provided with the necessary research resources and
research environments.
In research and development relating to information science and technology,
it is important to respond flexibly to rapid technological change and to the
diversifying needs of society. Here, it is hoped that the private sector will
demonstrate its full capabilities through free competition, and also play
a principal role particularly in application research and development targeting
specific social needs.
In information science and technology, the role of government lies in promoting
the type of research and development that is important to the nation as a
whole but which would not be pursued sufficiently by the private sector alone.
Another role of government is assuring the necessary environment for research
and development, such as human resource development, cooperation between the
private sector, government, and academia, and encouraging venture business.
Of these, the encouragement of venture business is particularly important
to the invigoration of private-sector activity in the field of information
science and technology. Although various measures are already being implemented,
further effort is needed to ensure the effectiveness of those measures. 1.) Strengthening basic and generic information science and technology
To be a global frontrunner in information science and technology, Japan
must cultivate the ability to generate the seeds of innovative science and
technology on its own. Doing so requires the strengthening of basic information
science and technology from a long-term perspective. The types of basic information
science and technology that must be tackled are those with the potential to
lead to new advancements in information science and technology. Examples include
innovative hardware such as components with new features or remarkably advanced
features, innovative software that employs new concepts or techniques to deliver
previously unrealizable features, and revolutionary information processing
techniques based on such human intelligent functions as cognition, learning
and language, or on the information processing functions of living things,
such as brains and genomes.
In addition, because information science and technology functions as a foundation
of society in that it provides techniques for various activities in society,
generic information science and technology applicable not just to any single
field but to many different fields must be strengthened. Important types of
generic information science and technology are those that support the information
science technology of society, such as science and technology for the construction
and operation of networks that make possible increasingly advanced, diverse
applications; science and technology for the advanced, diverse processing
of a broad range of information, including language, voice and imaging; science
and technology related to interface that makes information systems even easier
for people to use; computational science and technology for solving important
problems in research and development and diverse other fields, and science
and technology for assuring the security of various information systems.
Although Japan's private sector is active in research and development in information
science and technology, basic and generic information science and technology
cannot be entrusted only to the private sector, which obeys market principles.
Instead, the government must play an active role.
In research and development in basic and generic information science and technology,
it is important to ensure that results can be readily utilized by society.
This requires cooperation with the institutions where needs exist, and with
the private-sector entities that will turn the results of research into use.
2.) Promoting information science and technology to respond to the needs
of society
In order for information science and technology to actually serve society
as its intellectual and creative foundation, it is necessary to promote the
type of information science and technology that responds to society's needs.
There is a close connection between the aforementioned strengthening of basic
and generic information science and technology and the promotion of information
science and technology that responds to the needs of society: Exceptional
results achieved by research and development in basic and generic information
science and technology must be utilized in order to fully satisfy society's
needs, while at the same time basic and generic information science and technology
is strengthened through research and development that sets demanding goals
to respond to important societal needs.
Responding to the needs of society should be viewed as two separate elements:
using information science and technology to resolve important issues in various
areas of society, and creating an environment for an advanced information
and telecommunications society in which full use can be made of information
science and technology, the latter being a prerequisite of the former. The
social needs described below are deemed important to the nation as a whole,
and should be emphasized in the government's endeavors in information science
and technology. Given below are concrete details and examples of major research
and development subjects relating to specific social needs. These are examples
of the primary subjects and needs, and are meant to facilitate the understanding
thereof. (1) Promoting information science and technology to resolve major social
issues
a.) Achieving creative science and technology
To be a nation based on the creativity of science and technology, Japan must
fortify its research and development by using information science and technology
to create more-advanced research and development techniques and to create
a more productive research environment. Here attention must be called to the
importance of the tendency of the results of cutting-edge endeavors for research
and development to spread to various other fields, just as networks created
for research and development evolved into the Internet.
Specifically, because scientific and technical information is essential to
research and development in various fields, the distribution of scientific
and technical information must be sophisticated yet easy to use in ways appropriate
for today's era of networks. Concrete examples of the major research and development
subjects that must be addressed to achieve this goal include the technology
for the integrated searches of geographically scattered databases linked by
network, image retrieval and visualization technology suited to the multimedia
formats of scientific and technical information, ambiguous searches and other
intelligent processing techniques, and search thesauri.
It is also necessary to make the research environment more advanced by actively
utilizing the techniques of information science and technology, such as utilizing
computational science and technology in fields such as life sciences and global
environmental studies. This type of research environment would permit geographically
distant research and development institutes to engage in joint research and
development over networks. Concrete examples of the primary research and development
subjects that must be addressed to achieve this include the technology to
construct and operate geographically scattered information systems linked
by network, and the computational science and technology for handling important
issues in diverse fields. b.) Enhancing and bringing out individual capabilities
As the 21st century approaches, the creation of a society where individuals
can fully enhance and demonstrate their capabilities is necessary not only
for individuals to achieve self-actualization, but also to assure Japan's
vitality in response to the demographic trends of falling birth rates and
the aging of society.
Specific needs include the availability of quality education at school, home
and the workplace beyond restrictions of time and place. Concrete examples
of the primary research and development subjects that must be addressed to
achieve this include applications for using computers or other technologies
to delivery high-quality lessons in the classroom, and learning systems that
use networks to overcome geographical restrictions to receiving an education.
In addition, support systems are needed to enable the elderly and the disabled
to overcome physical limitations to demonstrate their capabilities and broaden
their range of activity. Concrete examples of the primary research and development
subjects that must be addressed to achieve this include voice recognition
technology-based interface that makes information systems easier for the disabled
to use, and the application of information science and technology to supplement
or replace diminished physical functions. c.) Achieving high-quality way of life with peace of mind for the public
In order to truly better the lives of the people, the information science
technology of society must deliver lifestyles of perceptibly high quality
to all people, and create an environment where peace of mind can be enjoyed
by all.
Specific needs regarding a high-quality way of life include various convenient
information services that address various individual needs in a variety of
areas, such as labor, governmental services, and recreation. Concrete examples
of the primary research and development subjects that must be addressed to
achieve this include telework-related technologies that use networks to allow
people to work at home or at satellite offices near home, as well as governmental
information systems that use information systems to increase the efficiency
of government administrative work and which increase the quality of information
providing and other services for the public.
Achieving a society that provides the people with peace of mind necessitates,
among others, access to high-quality medical care for everyone, and greater
resistance to earthquakes and other disasters. Concrete examples of the primary
research and development subjects that must be addressed to achieve this include
telemedicine systems that use networks to enable persons to receive competent
diagnoses and other services while at home or in a remote location, along
with disaster prevention information databases that utilize geographical information
systems and disaster prevention information and telecommunications systems
based on networks designed to withstand natural disasters. d.) Achieving a vigorous economy
Maintaining the vitality and international competitiveness of the Japanese
economy necessitates utilizing information science and technology to raise
the productivity of existing industries - from primary through tertiary -
and to commercialize new technologies and fuse disparate fields, thereby creating
new industries that will generate new jobs. Doing this requires considerable
vitality in the information and telecommunications industries where research
and development in information science and technology is done and the results
of that research and development are utilized.
More specifically, the infrastructure and environment relating to commerce,
distribution and other functions for a broad range of economic activity must
be informatized and made more advanced. Concrete examples of the primary research
and development subjects that must be addressed to achieve this include technologies
for electronic authentication, electronic payment, electronic money and other
subjects needed to promote electronic commerce; and intelligent transport
system-related technologies for using information science and technology to
build systems that link vehicles and roads to reduce congestion, prevent accidents,
and resolve other traffic-related problems and make distribution more efficient,
among other benefits. e.) Sustainable economic and social development
To achieve sustainable economic and social development in the future, it is
urgent to concretize efforts to effect the transition from today's civilization
based on mass production and mass consumption in view of the limitations of
global resources and the environment that are now becoming apparent.
To effect the transition from a material resource-dependent society to an
information resource-dependent society, it is first of all necessary to actively
utilize information to conserve resources and increase the efficiency of material
resource utilization in such fields as manufacturing, distribution and individual
consumption and to replace material resource utilization with information
utilization wherever possible. This includes using network-based communications
in place of the movement of people or goods, and using computerized simulation
partially in place of experimentation, prototyping and other aspects of the
research and development process. Concrete examples of the primary research
and development subjects that must be addressed to achieve this include the
technology for using networks to handle matters which require exchanges with
remote locations, and the science and technology utilizing computational techniques
to resolve a broad range of research and development and other issues.
Achieving the deeper understanding of global environmental issues that is
needed to promote such endeavors necessitates the promotion of global environment
observation and global change prediction such as global warning. Concrete
examples of the primary research and development subjects that must be addressed
to achieve this include using information science and technology to develop
advanced systems for observing the global environment and transmitting related
data, and using computational science and technology to perform simulations
used to predict global changes. (2) Promoting information science and technology to create an advanced
information and telecommunications society's environment
a.) An environment permitting extensive utilization of the advanced information
infrastructure
An advanced information and telecommunications society must provide universal,
broad-ranging access to the advanced information infrastructure.
Specifically, this requires an advanced information infrastructure, centered
on computers and networks, that is reasonably priced and reliable; that assures
interoperability, interconnectivity, and consistent quality; and that is available
at homes, at schools, and in a wide range of public and other social activities.
Concrete examples of the primary research and development subjects that must
be addressed to achieve this include technology for higher speed and advanced
features for the Internet and diverse other networks and for assuring smooth
connections among them and stable operation, and seamless computing technology
to enable utilization without the need for concern about differences in computer
systems and so on. b.) An environment where all the people are able to use the information
infrastructure effectively
Actual use of an advanced information infrastructure requires an increase
in information literacy, defined as the public's ability to use information
effectively.
This requires adequate opportunities for information education provided at
school and for adults as well. Concrete examples of the primary research and
development subjects that must be addressed to achieve this include applications
that encourage the use of computers and networks in primary and secondary
education and at other education levels, and electronic libraries and other
means of information system-based learning forums for a wide range of the
public, including adults. At the same time, the information infrastructure
must become easier to use. Concrete examples of the primary research and development
subjects that must be addressed to achieve this include middleware and interface
technologies that make computers and other tools easier to use, and the technology
for finding needed information and excluding unneeded information. c.) An environment where a reliable information infrastructure is used
with peace of mind
To support society as a whole, the information infrastructure must provide
exceptional reliability and peace of mind to its users.
Specifically, the information infrastructure must be durable and reliable
enough to withstand not only failure and malfunctioning in the system itself,
but also earthquakes and other disasters. Concrete examples of the primary
research and development subjects that must be addressed to achieve this include
the technologies for building highly-reliable systems, assessing the reliability
of systems, and creating systems for pinpointing the causes of system failures
instantaneously and switching to backup systems.
The information infrastructure must also protect the privacy of the personal
information, prevent the illegal access to information, and assure security
against computer viruses. Concrete examples of the primary research and development
subjects that must be addressed to achieve this include security technologies
such as encryptions and technologies for assessing the effectiveness of such
technologies and so on. 3.) Efforts to promote the utilization of information science and technology
In order for research and development in information science and technology
to be truly beneficial to society, research and development plans with appropriate
objectives and content must be devised by examining and assessing the results
of such research and development in the planning stages to determine its potential
impact of society from the perspective of the humanities and social sciences.
The humanities and social sciences, in order to play such a role, must expand
its body of knowledge by vitalizing research on the social aspects of information
science and technology, including ethics and jurisprudence.
Moreover, the utilization of information science and technology by society
entails not merely producing exceptional results through research and development
but also satisfying the institutional preconditions for the acceptance of
those results by society. Important issues in this regard are incentives for
research and development in information science and technology and encouragement
of the utilization of results through proper handling of copyrights and other
intellectual property issues. Some existing institutions are out of step with
the current advancement and utilization of information science and technology,
necessitating a reevaluation of existing regulations and other institutional
measures to encourage the utilization of information science and technology.
To promote the utilization of information science and technology, the government,
in addition to effecting the aforementioned institutional changes, must also
itself actively utilize information science and technology in order to promote
the information science technology of government, which the government is
currently promoting under the Basic Plan for Promoting Administrative Informatization
(revised in December 1997). The further promotion of government information
technology under said plan is expected to improve governmental services, enhance
public convenience, assure accountability to the people through the providing
of government information, and, by making the government a major consumer
of information and telecommunications products and services, expand the demand
for said advanced products and services, thereby stimulating the creation
and utilization of advanced information science and technology. In addition,
as the lagging of one sector will impede other sectors in the information
technology and networking of society as a whole, the steady information technology
of government is essential to the information technology of the private sector.
Promoting the distribution of scientific and technical information
< Achieving smooth distribution suited to the age of networks>
In order to be distributed smoothly and create value, scientific and technical
information requires an environment in which users can obtain the necessary
and sufficient information when and where it is needed, easily, rapidly, and
at the lowest possible, reasonable price. In addition to individual efforts
by the related institutions, this goal also requires partnerships and cooperation
among government, the private sector, and academia, including those overseas.
In addition, government involvement, in the form of government investment,
for instance, is essential for endeavors that are required by the nation as
a whole but which cannot be handled sufficiently by the private sector. Areas
where government involvement is particularly important include maintaining
the completeness of information (which includes the collection of foreign
documentation), maintaining fundamental databases, providing information services
while assuring the reliability of information resources, and carrying out
basic and generic research and development concerning the distribution of
scientific and technical information. Government involvement in some form
or other will be necessary until formation of the related markets has progressed
sufficiently.
Furthermore, as public funds are invested to promote the distribution of scientific
and technical information, a broad range of scientific and technical information
must also be disclosed to assure accountability to the public.
Below are the basic ideas concerning the specific approaches to be adopted
initially. 1.) Disseminating scientific and technical information to the entire world
Support is required to enable associations, academic societies, researchers
and the rest of the research community to actively disseminate scientific
and technical information, such as information concerning the results of research.
It is particularly important to create an environment that supports researchers'
dissemination, by networks and other electronic means, of up-to-the-minute
research reports, conference preprints, research papers and various other
forms of research results. It is also important to provide an environment
for the electronic editing and publishing of journals by the research community,
and to bolster support for the development of related software, for instance.
It is also necessary to fortify the framework of cooperation among the domestic
and foreign research communities and information distribution organizations,
and among individual information distribution organizations, and to facilitate
the international distribution of various information by compiling and providing
foreign researchers access to comprehensive databases of the English translations
of domestically produced papers, research reports, and other documentation.
Another area where enhanced support is needed is promoting the collection,
in high-quality formats, of research and other data accumulated by research
and development institutes; the databasing and continual updating of said
data, and the disclosure of said data to a broad range of potential users.
2.) Accumulating information resources and improving the distribution
environment
With regards to the collection, accumulation and storage of scientific and
technical information, information distribution institutions such as the National
Diet Library must cooperate with one another and strive to collect greater
amounts of scientific and technical information from domestic and foreign
sources, and to promote the continuous accumulation and permanent storage
of such information in electronic formats. To promote the distribution of
government reports, corporate technical reports and other types of information
of normally limited public access, it is necessary to promote the use of such
institutions as the National Diet Library's deposit system, and to fortify
collection efforts by such libraries and other institutions.
Concerning scientific and technical documents, articles, and other sources
important for the broadbased promotion of science and technology, it is necessary
to provide fortified support for the construction of comprehensive databases
of directory information, abstracts, and other information that is reliable
and extensive in scope. Japanese-language information is particularly important
to promote as a means of encouraging utilization of such information in Japan.
Additionally, fundamental fact databases not only promote research and development
in Japan, but are also important in enabling Japan to play its role in international
society. Particularly important is increased support for the improvement of
the type of fundamental fact databases that can be used to help resolve global
issues common to all humankind. The evaluation of researchers and others involved
in the improvement of such databases must also be taken into consideration.
In addition, it is also necessary to improve comprehensive directory databases
concerning government-funded research and development, including researchers,
research topics, and research resources.
As for improvement of the network-age environment of information distribution,
first of all, what is required concerning scientific and technical information
in multimedia formats is increased support for conversion to electronic formats,
databasing, and the development of related software, along with the promotion
of electronic library construction. In order for the scientific and technical
information that is distributed to be meaningful, continuous efforts are required
in the area of information-related terminology because of the certain level
of shared understanding that is assumed. Such efforts include the preparation
and maintaining of thesauri. Promotion of the distribution of widely dispersed
scientific and technical information also entails promoting standardization
of the formats used to transmit various information, as well as standardization
of information-distribution software.
Furthermore, to facilitate the distribution of information over networks,
a system for providing various rights-related information and a centralized
system for the more-convenient processing of copyrights-related tasks and
other rights-related matters are needed in view of the diverse range of users
and the various complicated forms of use. In addition, a flexible pricing
structure should be considered to encourage widespread use, not just by researchers
but by the general public as well. 3.) Improving the distribution environment to make scientific and technical
information easier to use
Here, it is necessary to construct systems whereby geographically distant
databases of scientific and technical information that are linked by networks
can be comprehensively and laterally searched to retrieve data from those
databases seamlessly, as if from a single database. This also entails promoting
cooperation between database providers and information distribution organizations
needed to construct such environments.
User interface environments with guiding, searching, and other features that
are accessible to ordinary users are also required with the actualization
of electronic libraries targeted. Facilitating use in Japan requires an environment
in which even foreign-origin information is provided in Japanese.
Section 3: Common Measures for the Strategic Promotion of Information
Science and Technology
Strategically promoting information science and technology in accordance with
the basic ideas stated in Section 2 will require the following common measures
with respect to research and development in information science and technology
and the distribution of scientific and technical information.
Development of specialized human resources
Human resources are important in all areas of science and technology, but
are a particularly important issue in information science and technology,
where creative individuals can have a considerable impact, as in software
and other types of content. Furthermore, the current use of information science
and technology in various fields makes the securing of persons bearing such
task an important issue common to many fields.
The specialized human resources needed can be broadly divided into those responsible
for research and development in information science and technology and those
responsible for the utilization of information science and technology. The
latter are required not just in the distribution of information science and
technology, but in the many other fields where information science and technology
play an important role. This pool of human resources is recognized as being
too small in Japan. Research, development and utilization, meanwhile, must
be thought of as an integral part of each other, as is obvious from the fact
that keen interest and thorough understanding of utilization are needed to
achieve excellent results in research and development.
For this reason, efforts at human resource development must be quickly expanded.
A particularly important aspect of such endeavors is the qualitative and quantitative
improvement of education at the nation's universities. 1.) Human resources responsible for research and development in information
science and technology
A prerequisite for developing the human resources needed to pursue research
and development in information science and technology is increasing the number
of university students studying information science and technology to increase
the supply of personnel. The expansion of graduate courses in this field is
particularly urgent with respect to producing human resources with advanced
specialized capabilities. Furthermore, enhancing the content of education
to keep up with the fast pace of change in information science and technology
requires enhanced curricula in software engineering and other increasingly
important fields, and using personnel from the private sector in universities
to change education to reflect industry trends.
In addition to improving education at universities and other institutions,
research and development capabilities in information science and technology
must also be developed through the performing of actual research and development.
This entails, most importantly, expanding the forums where young researchers
can demonstrate their talents by leading research and development at various
institutes and in various projects, and encouraging the flow and exchange
of personnel among institutions, even those in different fields. Producing
researchers capable of achieving socially meaningful results in information
science and technology necessitates that evaluation be based not just on research
papers but also on actual physical achievements, such as software. Also important
is the encouragement of venture businesses and other methods of cultivating
an environment that produces the type of dynamic persons capable of achieving
original results by actually creating the things that society needs. 2.) Human resources responsible for utilizing information science and
technology
With the utilization of information science and technology now essential in
broad fields, students studying in fields other than information science and
technology must also acquire the knowledge in information science and technology
that is necessary in their respective fields. In particular, those studying
to become researchers, for instance, must receive enhanced education in the
use of scientific and technical information so that they will be able to disseminate
and utilize information with ease. Measures must also be taken to provide
all university students with information-related education, such as promoting
the construction and expansion of related facilities.
Moreover, because of the advanced nature of the use of information science
and technology in various fields, merely improving the information science
and technology utilization capabilities of general users in such fields is
not sufficient. Instead, persons with specialized skills in information science
and technology must go to the places of actual use in order to demonstrate
such skills there.
First of all, it is necessary to consider the problem of the human resources
needed for the distribution of scientific and technical information and information
technology at the research and development institutions, among others. Specifically,
the institutions in Japan that research, develop, and utilize information
science and technology are sorely lacking in the human resources needed for
information technology, such as highly trained engineers capable of developing
the databases and software needed to carry out advanced information science
technology. There is also a severe shortage of support personnel trained in
information system management, which must therefore be performed by researchers
instead. The training and acquisition of the human resources needed for information
science technology requires an organization-wide response that includes assuring
sufficiently attractive treatment. Personnel exchanges between organizations
involved in information distribution must also be promoted to help improve
the capabilities of personnel at those institutions, which face difficulties
in independently training or acquiring specialists in information distribution.
Persons with specialized skills in information science and technology are
needed in an ever-growing number of fields. Needless to say, in the information
and telecommunications industry, where high rates of growth are expected,
there is a great demand for specialized personnel working for the manufacture
of information-related products and the providing of related services, for
instance. Other industries, as well, such as finance, also require specialized
capabilities in information science and technology.
Fortifying the implementation organization
1.) The organization of research and development in information science and
technology
There are two perspectives to the fortification of the research and development
organization in information science and technology: developing advanced information
science and technology and utilizing information science and technology to
meet actual needs in various fields. Endeavors from both perspectives must
be promoted integrally because of the inextricable relationship between the
two, in that advanced information science and technology, when utilized, fulfills
important needs and at the same time is itself achieved by endeavors that
target important needs.
In order for the government to play a principal role in research and development
in basic and generic information science and technology, the government's
infrastructure of research and development in information science and technology
must be fortified. The necessary methods of achieving this include expanding
and improving individual research and development organizations (both research
and development institutes and departments inside other institutions) and
also fortifying cooperation among such organizations and with similar non-government
organizations.
The expansion and improvement of individual organizations entail the steady
expansion and improvement of research and support departments involved in
information science and technology at the many research and development institutes
that develop or utilize information science and technology. Because a large
number of small organizations alone would be insufficient for achieving this
goal, it is necessary to develop organizations large enough to play a principal
role in cooperation between organizations.
At universities in particular, for the purpose of enhancing academic research
and education in the field of information it is appropriate to expand information-related
departments and programs and to establish a core research institute in the
field of information to be inter-university research institutes. Such an institute
must not limit itself to furthering cooperation between universities, but
rather must also establish close relations with institutions other than universities.
2.) The organization of scientific and technical information distribution
With networks becoming the primary means of distributing scientific and technical
information in recent years, the need has arisen for new forms of cooperation
in the distribution of information - forms that assume network utilization
and which transcend the boundaries of legislative and administrative branches,
universities, and private corporations. Although such cooperation can already
be seen among some libraries and other institutions involved in the distribution
of information, further cooperation is needed.
To achieve this, the related private-sector, academic, and governmental organizations
must establish, for each issue, separate coordinating forums that will facilitate
dynamic, effective cooperation, and use these forums to continuously work
to resolve those issues in ways that respect each organization's initiative.
Concrete membership of such forums includes the National Diet Library, the
Japan Science and Technology Corporation, National Center for Science Information
Systems, Japan Patent Information Organization, and various academic societies
and associations, as well as private companies and organizations that provide
information distribution services. The issues that such coordinating forums
could handle include providing integrated guidance and integrated searching
of network-linked databases, and the continuing collection and storage of
documents, articles, and other full-text sources.
Furthermore, the major research and development institutes, to promote information
distribution and other aspects of information science technology, should create
central functions for information science technology, such as establishing
a Chief Information Officer (CIO) as is now common in North America and Europe.
Improving the Research and Development Infrastructure
1.) Research information networks
Research information networks - such as the Inter-Ministry Research Information
Network (IMnet) and Science Information Network (SINET) - play an essential
role in the vitalization of research and development in information science
and technology through cooperation between disparate organizations and fields.
Moreover, cutting-edge endeavors making use of research information networks
are expected to stimulate the demand for advanced networks. Various measures
to further enhance these research information networks, such as developing
faster, larger-capacity networks and promoting the linking of research information
networks to each other and to other domestic and foreign networks, must therefore
be pursued while also striving for smooth cooperation among the private sector,
academia, and government. In addition, for such research information networks
to function as part of the information distribution infrastructure by handling
multimedia formats and the dramatic increase in the volume of scientific and
technical information, faster basic trunk lines covering larger areas must
be developed in precise accordance with actual use and needs. International
lines, such as those between the U.S. and Japan, must also be made faster.
Also, high-speed, large-capacity test beds are needed to develop the hardware,
operating technology, applications, and other technologies needed for high-speed,
large-capacity networks. An important prerequisite for achieving this goal
is making the research information networks available for diverse research
and development like the aforementioned. This includes not just the IMnet,
SINET, and other existing research information networks, but also the newly
established gigabit network for research and development use, Japan Gigabit
Network. 2.) High-speed computers
The techniques of computational science and technology will become even more
important as a method used universally in research and development. In the
field of high-speed computers, which are one such research tool, it is important
to pursue research on hardware, operating systems, applications, and other
technologies to attain higher speeds, measured in petaflops instead of teraflops.
Efforts are also needed to enable the computational science and technology
to be used in diverse fields and diverse environments, such as systems designed
for network-linked, geographically scattered environments. 3.) Databases
As they are indispensable to research and development in information science
and technology and various other fields, databases must be expanded and enhanced
and also made available to a wide range of users.
In particular, fact databases are becoming an increasingly important part
of the very foundations of research and development, and require intensified,
continuing efforts to improve them. In the life sciences, for instance, a
major issue in the rapidly developing fields of genome science and brain science
is the databasing and analysis of fact data obtained experimentally and by
other means.
Responding to advanced needs also requires intensified research and development
efforts concerning fundamental databases with high-order structuralization
and capable of producing more information than just individual data. In the
field of genome science, for instance, this means not only enhancing databases
of DNA, protein, individual, and other information, but also fortifying research
and development relating to comprehensive databases which integrate such interrelated
data.
In the field of information science and technology, continuing efforts are
needed to improve fact databases, such as those for natural language processing
containing large volumes of example sentences of speech, language, and other
forms.
International developments
Amid increasing international exchange and cooperation in information science
and technology made possible by boundary-crossing networks, along with intensifying
international competition caused by nations' strengthened endeavors in information
science and technology, Japan, while promoting its own information science
and technology, must first maintain its own international competitiveness
through strategic endeavors and then actively pursue international cooperation
and international contribution. For instance, actively participating in standardization
activities at the ITU (International Telecommunications Union), the ISO (International
Standards Organization), and other international standardization organizations
is important with respect to both international competition and international
cooperation, as are such efforts as the development of de facto standards
of Japanese origin.
International cooperation of Japan concerning the distribution of scientific
and technical information in the past centered on the active acquisition of
information from advanced nations, but from now on, as mentioned earlier,
must concentrate on increasing Japan's dissemination of scientific and technical
information to the rest of the world. This requires adopting the principle
of maintaining a balanced, two-way exchange of information with other advanced
nations while actively providing developing nations with information.
Also as mentioned earlier, because of the importance of securing talented
persons in research and development in information science and technology,
Japan, in response to the increasingly international nature of research and
development activities worldwide, must strive to fortify and invigorate its
own research and development by seeking out talented individuals from all
over the world. This, in turn, requires superior research environments capable
of attracting talented individuals, along with open research and development
systems. At the same time, Japan must also contribute to international society
by working to cultivate in Japan the type of talented individuals capable
of actively serving at an international arena.
The international creation and interconnection of research information networks
must be promoted as part of the foundations of international cooperation in
information science and technology. Such networks must also be used as test
beds to develop and demonstrate applications internationally.
Government investment
In order to strategically promote information science and technology as the
intellectual and creative foundation of society with the objective of becoming
a global frontrunner in information science and technology amidst international
competition, Japan must aggressively implement the necessary policies in accordance
with the basic ideas set forth in Section 2 and with the common measures mentioned
in this section. Doing so requires that government invest the necessary funds.
Section 4: Pioneering Endeavors for the Strategic Promotion
of Information Science and Technology
< Construction of network-age research systems>
Vigorous, broadbased efforts by various sectors and various institutions, implemented
under the basic ideas and common measures for the strategic promotion of information
science and technology in Sections 2 and 3, are expected to both reform and fortify
endeavors in information science and technology throughout Japan. At the same
time, in view of the importance of strengthening such endeavors in information
science and technology, independent effort by the various sectors and institutions
alone is not sufficient. Instead, pioneering endeavors must be launched through
cooperation between government, the private sector, and academia in order to accelerate
the pace by which efforts in information science and technology are reformed and
strengthened.
The establishment of a pioneering program
This pioneering program should be positioned as one which actively implements
innovative new attempts that concretize the aforementioned basic ideas and
common measures for the strategic promotion of information science and technology
in advance of the actualization of research systems that conform to the characteristics
of information science and technology and which are suited to the network
age. In short, this program is in effect a laboratory for achieving innovations
in research and development in the field of information science and technology.
The type of research system that this program must strive to create is one
that is network-based yet human-oriented, where individuals can demonstrate
their abilities to the fullest and where links are strengthened between individuals
in different organizations or fields, particularly between those involved
in research and development in information science and technology and those
involved in utilization. Important prerequisites for this are creating the
type of environments where talented people participate and their individual
abilities can be demonstrated, promoting joint efforts between researchers
and users of information science and technology, and using networks to achieve
research systems based on close cooperation between organizations.
The experience gained through this program must be shared by the related corporate,
governmental, and academic institutions in order to be widely utilized toward
the reform and strengthening of endeavors in information science and technology.
Said experience is also expected to help improve research and development
in other scientific and technical fields as well.
The pioneering program should create a framework in which priority areas of
basic and generic information science and technology are defined with clear
orientation towards social needs; research projects are established in each
priority area utilizing a broad range of various research and development
promotion measures, and human-oriented research teams combining utilization
and research are established for each project, which is then implemented through
a research system that uses networks to assure close cooperation between involved
organizations.
The approach to the pioneering program
This program can be thought of as comprising three stages: the making of strategies
and plans for research in basic and generic information science and technology;
the construction of research systems and the implementation of actual research,
and the utilization of results. Below are the points of emphasis in each stage
and in the overall promotion of this program. 1.) The process of prioritizing basic and generic research with orientation
towards society's needs
In the stage of making the strategies and plans for research in basic and
generic information science and technology, the key issue is to establish
a process of prioritizing research in basic and generic information science
and technology, that is, a process whereby priority areas are defined and
research projects are established for each area.
When defining priority areas, it is important to ascertain important needs,
namely, those areas where a breakthrough in research and development in basic
and generic information science and technology is needed. Specific methods
of doing this include soliciting suggestions from users and user organizations
or having surveys carried out by researchers involved in information science
and technology. In order to provide meaningful suggestions about needs, users
and user organizations must themselves be knowledgeable about the use of information
science and technology. This, in turn, requires user organizations, as mentioned
above, to acquire capable, specialized personnel trained in the use of information
science and technology, and to construct systems that enable information science
and technology to be used systematically. At the same time, researchers involved
in information science and technology must visit actual locations of utilization
in order to ascertain latent needs in various fields and to enlighten users
about the potential of information science and technology. This is the type
of interaction between researcher and user that must be promoted.
Once the needs in fields of actual utilization have been properly ascertained,
requirements of those needs pertaining to basic and generic information science
and technology must be evaluated as to the feasibility of achieving cutting-edge
results with broad applicability. This evaluation, which is followed by the
definition of those research areas requiring priority, should be participated
in by specialists from government, the private sector, and academia to assure
a perspective sufficiently broad to encompass research and utilization.
After defining priority research areas, the research projects for each area
are established. Here, it is important to give free rein to the imagination
and judgment of capable people so that effective projects are devised. This
entails either giving talented individuals considerable discretion in designing
projects, or using competitive methods of selecting the best proposals.
In order to respond to the actual needs of society, such projects must have
clear objectives as to the specific results that are to be achieved. In the
planning process, the appropriateness of a plan's objectives and content should
also be examined from the perspective of the humanities and the social sciences.
2.) Network-based, human-oriented research systems that combine research
and utilization
Research systems must achieve interaction between and the fusing of specialized
capabilities in various information science and technology fields and specialized
capabilities in the utilization of information science and technology. The
key to achieving such fusion is effectively linking information science and
technology researchers with users of information science and technology. This
requires the proper use of both physical gatherings and interaction over networks.
Specifically, this research system should be seen as a dual system encompassing
research teams of small numbers of capable individuals gathering in exceptional
research environments to focus on project implementation, along with a group
of other talented individuals who are not part of the team and who are located
in different areas than the team but who are connected by network. First,
the research team on which a project centers should comprise researchers and
users working together in unity. Advanced networks must also be used to create
a research system in which the various participating governmental, corporate,
and academic institutions, representing both research and development institutions
and user institutions, are linked with each other and, when necessary, with
foreign institutions so that, although having different types of organization,
they may work closely together as if they were a single research center. Although
network-based research is already under way in some research fields, projects
of this type are to be carried out by specialists in information science and
technology and so require full use of networks as part of the infrastructure
of research and then should seek to actualize an unprecedentedly advanced
network environment that is based on advanced information science and technology
and which makes. What must be remembered with respect to such an approach
is that the purpose of this type of program is to make research information
networks and other aspects of the research and development infrastructure
more advanced and thereby lead the information science technology of society
as a whole.
When implementing the research, the involved researchers and research supervisors
must be able to use their specialized knowledge and ideas flexibly, and must
also have the greatest possible discretion, without being overburden with
clerical duties.
With respect to human resources, these research projects must produce results
by making use of the capabilities of talented individuals, and must also allow
young researchers and others to enhance their capabilities through extensive
experience in actual research. With respect to the central research teams,
this entails, first of all, realizing bold measures for the treatment and
research environment needed to attract researchers of international caliber,
as well as environments where young researchers get suitable treatment and
focus on their research without being burdened with clerical and other miscellaneous
duties. 3.) The process of promoting the widespread utilization of program results
This program is expected to produce results in the form of scientific results
from individual research projects and the experience that is gained from the
program itself. As stated above, the research projects, by involving user
organizations in everything from planning to research implementation, must
move forward in close association with actual needs, and must also actively
assure the widespread utilization of the results achieved through research.
Because restrictions to the actual use of new information science and technology
are foreseen arising from existing restrictions and other institutions, the
institutions responsible for the relevant institutions must be made aware
of such problems, and must also be involved in the study of countermeasures
to those problems.
The evaluation of research projects must include not just preliminary evaluation
in the project establishment process, but also intermediate and final evaluations.
In particular, new research and development approaches adopted in the program
must be fully evaluated and the results of that evaluation made public to
assure that the resultant experience is widely utilized by government, the
private sector, and academia, and that said experiences contributes to the
strengthening of endeavors in information science and technology. 4.) Establishing a system for promoting the program
When implementing this program under the basic ideas described above, attention
must be paid to the changing circumstances surrounding information science
and technology. It is also hoped that, to assure that the program is carried
out from the broad perspective of strategically promoting information science
and technology, the Council for Science and Technology is involved, in an
appropriate capacity, in the creation of a system of promotion, including
specific structures, and that the system is administered flexibly in accordance
with changes in circumstances, so that the program can achieve its original
objectives and pioneer the reform and strengthening of Japan's endeavors in
information science and technology.
