No.
6
2023
502

FEATUREInterview

Public Services
provided by NICTTechnology Flourishes in Society
What are NICT's "Public Services"?

国立

開
研究

発

情報
法人

機
研究
通信

構法

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6

502

Public Services provided by NICT
Cover Photo:"Act on the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology,
Independent Administrative Agency" thatprescribes the organizations, operations,etc. of NICT and the provisions related to
NICT’s public services specified in the act(in boldface type).

1 Technology Flourishes in Society
What are NICT's "Public Services"?

YASUI Motoaki

4

Japan Standard Time
Making accurate time usable as a matter of course
MATSUBARA Kensuke

6Space Weather Forecast
For safe social infrastructure and prosperous life
KUBO Yûki / SAKAGUCHI Kaori / NISHIOKA Michi

8

Calibration Service
Calibration services for measuring instruments of radio
equipment and frequency standards
SAKAI Kojiro / SUGIYAMA Tsutomu / SEKIDO Mamoru

10 CYDER: CYber Defense Exercise with Recurrence
Cyber defense exercise for government agencies,
local public institutions, etc.
NAKAGAWA Tetsuya

11 An introduction of Human Resource Development against
Cybersecurity threats in SecHack365 at NICT
Nurturing security innovators
YOKOYAMA Teruaki

12 An Introduction to NQC
Nurturing quantum ICT natives
YOKOYAMA Teruaki

14 Publication of “The Current and Future Trends of ICT
2023”

FEATURE

Public Services provided by NICTYASUI Motoaki
Executive Director, NICTHe joined CRL of Ministry of Post (currently
NICT) in 1996. After he had engaged in research of remote sensing technology, he became assistant manager of Technology Policy
Office, ICT Strategy Policy Division, Ministry ofInternal Affairs and Communications, Directorof Sensing Fundamentals lab at NICT, directorof social innovation unit, Executive Director,
Strategic Planning Department, then Senior
executive director. Current position from 2023.
Ph.D. (Science)

NICT conducts cutting-edge research anddevelopment in a wide range of fields,from net work ing, communications andcybersecurity to brain information and neuralnetworks, but NICT has the goal of making
the results of its research useful to the world.
NICT's major operations include "research anddevelopment," "funding to external research
institutions," and "public services." Amongthese operations, "public services" is specificallythe one that directly links NICT's cutting-edge
research and development results to society,where they are implemented in the daily
lives of the general public. What are NICT’s"public services" and how do they
support social infrastructure? We
sat down with Executive
Director YASUI Motoaki, who
has been engaged in thisfield for many years.

Technology Flourishes in Society
What are NICT's "Public Services"?
―What are NICT's "public services"?
YASUI NICT is Japan's only public research
institution that specializes in the field of information and communications technology, andprovides some of its research results as services that support social infrastructure. Those
are NICT's "public services.”
One of the most representative examples isJapan Standard Time (JST). Radio controlled
clocks that employ radio waves to set the time
are widely used in social activities and daily
life, and it is NICT that generates the basic
time for such radio-controlled clocks.
―Is time something that can be generated?
YASUI Time in the past was determined bymeasuring the rotation and the orbital motionof the Earth. But with the development of science, technology, and business, more accurate
time determination was demanded, and since
1967, the duration of the unit “second” hasbeen defined based on cesium atomic clocks,
and NICT began operating cesium atomic
clocks as well. Currently, NICT has 18 cesium atomic clocks that generate time with highaccuracy to within 1 second over 20 million
years. The generated time is transmitted on
low-frequency radio waves from two Low Frequency Standard Time and Frequency Transmission Stations in Japan (Ohtakadoya-yama
in Fukushima Prefecture and Hagane-yama

located at the border between Fukuoka andSaga prefectures). In addition, there are twoother ways to transmit Japan Standard Time:
Hikari Telephone JJY, which uses fiber optic
lines to distribute time, and the NTP server,which adjusts Internet time; thus, there arethree ways in total to transmit JST without abreak. Although atomic clocks are extremely
accurate, there are slight variations in accuracy from one individual clock to another. For
this reason, we not only compare and calibrate
the atomic clocks owned by NICT but also
those owned by overseas institutions to generate more accurate time.
Japan Standard Time generated by NICT
contributes greatly to today’s social infrastructure, as it is used in radio-controlled clocks,
daily TV and radio time signals, and even in
sharing accurate time when communicatingwith smartphones and other devices. Furthermore, research on the optical lattice clock,which is expected to change the definition of
the second in the future, is also underway at
NICT. If this clock is put into practical use,
we can aim for a world in which time is determined with ultra-high accuracy of within one
second over 30 billion years.

of the public, the same is true of smartphones.
NICT's technology is the reason why mobile
communication and Wi-Fi signals are stableand of high quality. For example, there is a
"Technical Standards Conformity Certification" system for wireless equipment. Since
wireless equipment with this certification
mark means that it has passed a highly reliable inspection using highly accurate and calibrated measuring instruments tied to NICT’s
standards, it will not interfere with communication with other wireless equipment. Technical Standards Conformity Certification
was established in 1981, and right about thattime, radio waves began to be used for various
purposes. Now, various wireless services arewidespread, but wireless devices can be usedwith ease because of the calibration technology that guarantees Technical Standards Conformity Certification.
When the Beyond 5G/6G era arrives in
the future, radio waves in the terahertz band,
which are even higher than the frequencies
currently used, will be used for communication. Even in such an era, with Technical Standards Conformity Certification based on solid
calibration technology, we can use communication devices with ease.

―I see NICT's "public services" arecontributing to the familiar daily lives ofthe public.

■The Importance of Space Weather
Forecasting

YASUI Speaking of the familiar daily lives―I think the electromagnetic environment in space also has a great impact on

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

1

FEATURE

Public Services provided by NICTTechnology Flourishes in Society
What are NICT's "Public Services"?

the stability and maintenance of social infrastructure.
YASUI One of NICT's "public services" is"space weather forecasting operations.” This
service analyzes the state of the sun and constantly-observed data on the state of the ionosphere and magnetosphere in space around theEarth to determine whether anomalies such as
geomagnetic storms are occurring, and also
performs forecast simulations and announces
them as weather forecasts.
NICT has been observing the ionospheresince the days of its predecessor, the Electrotechnical Laboratory of the Ministry of Communications (founded in 1891). This is because radio communication at that time, which
had just started (Japan's first radio communication experiment was conducted in 1885),
was easily affected by ionospheric phenomena. At that time, the shortwave band was used
for long-distance radio communications, andsuch communications were conducted by using the ionosphere (the ionized layer of the atmosphere caused by ultraviolet rays from thesun, etc.) located between 60 km and 800 km
above the ground, which reflects radio waves.
However, when large-scale solar flares occurred, the electron density in the ionosphere
increased and radio communications were
disrupted, which was a serious problem at thattime, as the ionosphere was used for important

communications. It was therefore necessary toconstantly observe changes in the state of theionosphere.
The disruption of shortwave communications is not the only problem. Geomagnetic
storms caused by solar activity threaten to disable our highly advanced information modern
society all at once. Modern society is built on
the support of huge electromagnetic networks,
such as the Internet, and a large-scale geomagnetic storm could destroy power lines andcommunication networks.
A large-scale coronal mass ejection (amassive explosion) called the Carrington
Event occurred at the end of the Edo period in1859. The event was caused by a solar flare ofa magnitude rarely seen in history and is said
to have disrupted telegraph lines that were justopened at the time.
One recent example is the 40 Starlink satellites from the U.S. company SpaceX losing functionality due to a geomagnetic storm
caused by a solar flare in 2022. In addition, solar flares can disturb the ionosphere and affectradio wave propagation, which in turn affects
the positioning accuracy of satellite positioning systems such as GPS.
It is also important to detect disturbancesin space as soon as possible in order to protect
the crew of passenger aircraft flying at high altitudes from radiation exposure. Space weather forecasts published by NICT are provided

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

―Are satellites also affected? That is aserious problem.
YASUI It can be said that a modern societythat relies on advanced information and communications technology is also a society thatis vulnerable to electromagnetic interference.
For this reason, EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) is internationally emphasized. EMC
is the balancing act of ensuring that electromagnetic waves, when used, do not affectother equipment and that the equipment is resistant to being affected by other equipment.
To this end, it is necessary to make standards that apply not only to Japan but also
to the international community. NICT’s researchers are taking the lead in participating
in and contributing to the creation of international standards.
―Technology using electromagnetic
waves has become one of the most important
infrastructures for a state. I now understand
NICT’s high level contribution to the field.
YASUI Today,

cyberspacecreatedTelephone JJY (time transmission via telephone lines)
starts operation.

Standard radio wave emissions start.

2■Contributing to Cyber-physicalSpace

Space weather forecasting
operations start.

History of NICT's public services

Calibration operations start.

to operators as aviation information throughthe International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO).

New UTC (based on the 1967 “definitionof the second”) is adopted as the referencetime for standard radio waves.

Low-frequency standard radio
wave operation (JJY 40 kHz:
Ohtakadoya-yama) formally
starts.

onnetworks such as the Internet has become
widespread, and information exchange andbusiness are being conducted there just as in
the real world. We have already entered an
era in which various things are happening
in cyber-physical space, where cyber spaceand physical space are fused and integrated.
In a situation where society is built on sucha system, for example, if a failure, accident,
or incident occurs in cyberspace, it will havea tremendous impact on and damage the entire system connected to the physical space. In
such a world, in addition to security within thephysical space, security within cyberspace, orcybersecurity, has become extremely important.
NICT has a long history of research in cybersecurity technology, the results of which
are utilized in the "public services" of developing and discovering security humanresources. For example, there is a program
called the CYDER exercise, a practical cyberdefense exercise for local governments nationwide. This is an exercise designed to develop defensive skills against cyber attacks. The
SecHack365 program, which targets young
people under the age of 25, seeks to discoverand develop security innovators—individuals
who bring new ideas to cybersecurity issues.
Through these efforts, NICT helps people who
make up society in various settings acquire
cybersecurity skills, thereby making practicalcontributions toward the maintenance and development of a stable society based on a soundcyber-physical space.
These are the public services implemented
by NICT as specified in the Act on the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Independent Administrative Agency. In addition to these public

services, we have recently been implementing
a program for discovering and developing human resources who will pioneer cutting-edge
technologies and support the country's futurein the field of quantum technology, whereinternational competition is heating up andthere is a serious shortage of human resources. The program is called the “Quantum ICT
Human Resources Development Program
NICT Quantum Camp (NQC).” Its objective
is to develop researchers in new quantum
technologies that will become mainstream in
the future, such as quantum communication,
quantum computation, and quantum sensing.

■Transcending the “Limits ofKnowledge”―I now understand that the results ofyears of NICT’s research are applied to society through its public services.
YASUI NICT conducts research and development, from the most advanced and profound basic research to applied research andsocial implementation, from a long-term pointof view. Furthermore, even in the middle ofour research, if we find any technology or ideathat can be useful in the real world, we will try
to make use of it as much as possible.
It is difficult to systematically proceed witheverything looking 20 or 30 years ahead, but
as we constantly pioneer new concepts andfunctions and advance research and development, various applied technologies have beencreated, and these have revolutionized society,which defines the general course of history.
Thirty years ago, it would have been unimaginable to think of a world in which social networking services (SNS) are as widespread as
they are today.

NICT is pursuing a variety of research anddevelopment areas to pioneer future possibilities. It is exciting to imagine a future in which
various studies for the Beyond5G/6G era, as
well as brain information and neural networks
for even further in the future, create new technologies that are also utilized in a variety ofservices.
From pioneering cutting-edge science andtechnology to public services, NICT is committed to opening up the future by seamlessly
and dynamically interlocking various activities.
The technological foundations of the future
do not come out of nowhere. Nor is there an
end goal. Things are constantly moving forward, but technology is also advancing in parallel. Or major technological innovations canchange the flow, nature, and values of things.
In such a process, NICT creates usable andnecessary technologies and provides themas "public services" that support social infrastructure so that they will be widely used by
the public. That can be called NICT's “public
services.”
NICT's recently released brand statement,"Transcending the Limits of Knowledge, Establishing Social Infrastructure of the Future,"
expresses this situation well.
I believe that technology is constantly renewing old knowledge into new “knowledge.”―I see that NICT will continue to advance by transcending the "Limits ofKnowledge.” Thank you very much foryour time today.

Low-frequency standard radio wave
operation (JJY 60 kHz: Hagane-yama)
formally starts.
Time provision via NTP and dissemination service for time business starts.

NICT Quantum Camp (NQC)
starts.
Sec-Hack365 starts.

Hikari Telephone JJY operation (time provision via fiber
optic telephone lines) starts.
Space weather information provision to the International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) starts.
CYDER starts.
Jcss frequency calibration starts.

Kobe Substation operation starts as the main JST station.

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

3

FEATURE

Public Services provided by NICT

Japan Standard Time
Making accurate time usable as a matter of course

F

MATSUBARA Kensuke
Research Manager, Group Leader,
Japan Standard Time Service Group,
Space-Time Standards Laboratory,
Electromagnetic Standards ResearchCenter,Radio Research Institute
After completing graduate school, hejoined the Communications ResearchLaboratory (CRL, currently NICT) in 2001.
Engaged in research on ion optical clocks,
high-precision frequency provision bystandard radio waves and operation ofJapan Standard Time, etc. Ph.D. (Science)ew people nowadays are likely towake up in the morning and be completely unaware of the time or hour throughout the entire day. Standard time, which was
created to share with others the time thatis closely associated with human life, is said
to have its historical origins in the development of long-distance railroads in the 19th
century. Now that people and information
come and go globally, standard time is also
maintained through global international
cooperation. NICT contributes to this effort
and is working to make accurate time andfrequency usable in Japan as a matter ofcourse, and is preparing for the future.

■Japan Standard Time Closely
Related to our Daily Lives
The public most closely relates to NICT-determined Japan Standard Time (JST) by thetime adjustment of radio-controlled clocks
using low-frequency standard radio waves fortime and frequency (JJY). “Ohtakadoya-yama
LF Standard Time and Frequency Transmission Station” opened in June 1999, and “Hagane-yama LF Standard Time and Frequency
Transmission Station” in October 2001. Bothstations have a transmitter with an output of

50 kW to emit standard radio waves, enabling
radio-controlled clocks available throughout
Japan to not deviate from JST by a single second. Their recent operations have been reported in magazines, etc.*1.
One way to more reliably set the time to
JST without relying on radio wave propagation is to use Telephone JJY, which is a system that uses the public telephone line. Since
1995, the system has been operated and thenused by NTT's time signal device and numerous broadcasters, etc., with more than 150,000
accesses per month in 2019. In that same year,
the higher-precision Hikari Telephone JJY
which uses an optical telephone line started,and users migrated to the new system, bringing the number of Hikari Telephone JJY accesses to more than 200,000 for the month ofAugust 2023. The Telephone JJY from 1995
will cease operation at the end of March 2024.
Other time dissemination services include
NTP (Network Time Protocol) and time
dissemination for time business operators.
NICT's public NTP is available to everyone
and is accessed over 10 billion times daily. In
addition, NICT is promoting redundancy anddecentralization of the NTP servers for morestable operation in the future. For time stamping authentication using dissemination service
for time business, a certification system by the
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications started in April 2021, where NICT isdesignated as the sole reference for standard
time. Figure 1 shows an overview of these Japan Standard Time operations. NICT will continue its efforts to maintain secure and reliable
Japanese Standard Time services.

■History of Japan Standard Time

Figure 1

4Outline of Japan Standard Time operations

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

NICT, including its predecessor organization, has long been involved in the generation of standard time and the developmentof frequency standards*2. Figure 2 shows anabridged chronological table. Two years after
the International Meridian Conference, thestandard time system of Japan based on themeridian line at 135 degrees east longitude
started in 1886 in accordance with Imperial
Edict No. 51. Since around that time, the Ministry of Communications (now the Ministry

of Internal Affairs and Communications) has
been responsible for disseminating standardtime.
In 1940, the Ministry of Communications
began to transmit high-precision standard frequencies in the shortwave band in accordancewith the ministry’s Public Notice No. 1, andin 1948, the role of time disseminating wasadded to standard radio waves with the successful test of superposing minute and second
time signals.
With the growing importance of standard
radio waves, setting of the frequency standard
value, transmission of standard radio waves,and disseminating of standard time came under the responsibility of the Ministry of Telecommunications, which was established in1949. These responsibilities have been carriedover into the content of the current Act for
Establishment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Act on the
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, National Research andDevelopment Agency. In 1952, the Radio Research Laboratory of the Ministry of Posts andTelecommunications was established, where
frequency standard equipment using quartz
crystals, various atoms, etc. was developed andthe operation of standard time was conducted.
In 1967, at the 13th Conférence générale despoids et mesures (CGPM), "second," one of
the International Standards of Units (SI), wasredefined from the previous astronomical definition to one using cesium atom, and in 1970,
at the 12th Comité consultatif international
pour la radio, a new Coordinated Universal
Time (UTC) based on the new definition of
second was recommended for adoption. As aresult, in 1972, the Communications ResearchLaboratory at that time changed the base for
JST from the previous astronomical time scale(called UT2) to UTC, which is still in use today,
and advanced it by 9 hours to be disseminated bystandard radio waves.
In 1972, JST was generated using the timeof a single high-performance cesium atomic
clock, but in 1987, accuracy was improved byusing the weighted average time of multiple
atomic clocks. In 2006, further improvement
was made by using a hydrogen maser as thesignal source, which has excellent short-term
frequency stability, completing a system almost the same as the one that currently generates JST. Currently, as an emergency backup
for JST generation at NICT headquarters, atime generation system using a total of approx-

imately 30 atomic clocks
distributed to NICT headquarters, the Advanced
ICT Research Institute(Kobe substation), andtwo LF Standard Time andFrequency Transmission
Stations is in operation at
the Kobe substation.

■Japan Standard
Time Aiming forHigher Accuracy
Currently, "second" isdefined as about 9.2 billion oscillations within acesium atom (a frequency of about 9.2 GHz). On
the other hand, it is envisioned that the "second
will be redefined" around2030 using frequencies
in the optical bandwidthof several hundred THz.
Therefore, NICT began
contributing to national standard time with a"strontium optical lattice clock" in August
2021, the first in the world*3. Here, one second of conventional JST, determined mainly
by cesium atomic clocks, is periodically corrected by an optical lattice clock to reduce thedeviation from UTC. As a result, the deviationof UTC (NICT) (the time 9 hours back fromJST generated by NICT) from UTC has been
reduced to less than 5 nanoseconds, which
is about 1/4 of the previous time. Currently,
NICT is attempting to generate JST with evenhigher accuracy by using hydrogen masers,
whose accuracy has been improved by adjustment with an optical lattice clock, in addition
to cesium clocks. Atomic clocks, including
an optical lattice clock operated by NICT, arecurrently used directly for UTC determination
made at the Bureau International des Poids etMesures (BIPM). These achievements havemade NICT one of the key players in the
Asia-Pacific region in the international approval system for the calibration of frequency
standards, contributing greatly to the facilitation of imports and exports of measuring instruments, etc.

■Prospects for the Future
In preparation for the "second" to be redefined around 2030, improvements will be

Figure 2A
bridged chronological table of
NICT's Standard Time operations andfrequency standard development.*2

Left: Orange indicates institutions, green indicates
JST provision, and blue indicates the history
of JST initiatives.
Right: History of frequency standards developed
by NICT (including its predecessor) (Purple
indicates the accuracy achieved in that
period, and pink indicates the stability).

needed to generate and provide JapaneseStandard Time by making the best use of theaccuracy of the redefinition. At the same time,
NICT is considering to provide JST according
to the accuracy required for each communication and communication speed obtained innext generation wireless communication, withthe aim of improving the value of use. The operation of JST is also reported on the Web site(https://www.nict.go.jp/sts/index.html).
＊1 CQ ham radio March 2023 issue pp.35-41,
NICT News 2023 no.2 pp.10-11,
NICT News 2022 no.4 p.12.
＊2 H istory of standard radio waves, frequency
standards, and standard time.
h ttps://jjy.nict.go.jp/QandA/reference/chrono_table.html
J ournal of the Communications ResearchLaboratory vol. 49 nos. ½ 2003, pp.25-pp.32＊3 N ICT Press Release, “The World’s First Useof an Optical Lattice Clock to Keep National
Standard Time.”https://www.nict.go.jp/press/2022/06/09-1.
html

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

5

FEATURE

Public Services provided by NICTSpace Weather Forecast
For safe social infrastructure and prosperous lifen recent years, we have increasingly been hearing in the media andother outlets about space weather, whichis the interface between astronomy and/or
geophysics and social life. As we strive to
reduce the impact of solar activity and otherchanges in the space environment on social
infrastructure to maintain its safety and realize innovations such as space travel that cancreate prosperity for future human societies,
we are seeing a rapid increase in the demand
for space weather forecasting.

I

KUBO Yûki

Space Weather Forecast Service Group,
Space Environment Laboratory,
Radio Propagation Research Center,
Radio Research InstituteDr. KUBO joined Communications Research Laboratory (current NICT) in 1998
after receiving a degree of MSc in astronomy.
He has worked for a research on space
weather forecasting such as a solar radio
observation and cosmic rays, and has also
managed space weather forecast operation. Ph.D

SAKAGUCHI Kaori (left)

Research Manager,
Space Environment Laboratory,
Radio Propagation Research Center,
Radio Research Institute
After completing her doctoral program,
Dr. SAKAGUCHI obtained a research fellowship for young scientists from Japan
Society for the Promotion of Science, thenjoined NICT in 2010. She has been engaging in research on space weather, such as
the forecast of the aurora and radiation
belts. She currently developing measurement tools for space environment to beinstalled in Hiwawari 10. Ph.D. (Science)

NISHIOKA Michi (right)

Senior Researcher,Space Environment Laboratory,
Radio Propagation Research Center,
Radio Research InstituteDr. NISHIOKA joined NICT in 2011 after
completing her doctorial studies andworking as a post-doctoral researcher at
Boston College and Nagoya University.
She has been involved in research of ionospheric disturbances, operation of routine
ionospheric observation, and development of ionospheric monitoring systems.
Ph.D. (Science).

6

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

■Introduction
The National Institute of Information andCommunications Technology (NICT) is the
only public organization in Japan that provides space weather forecasting services.
Since the early 1950s when NICT’s predecessor, the Radio Research Laboratory under the
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications,
was founded, the organization has been engaged in radio wave warning services to detect and provide users with advance alerts ofshortwave communication interruptions. This
service was renamed Space Weather Forecast
in 1988 and now provides a wide variety of
information including information on solar
activity, geomagnetic disturbances, and ionospheric disturbances that can cause interruptions in shortwave communication andan increase in satellite positioning errors, aswell as information on radiation belt electrons
that can cause satellite disruptions and proton
events that can affect the health of astronauts
and aircrews from exposure to cosmic radiation in 24/7 (Figure 1).

■Space Weather Disasters
In a nutshell, space weather refers to the impact of solar activity on the space environment
around the Earth and on social infrastructurethat we as Earth’s inhabitants rely on.
While we may not have a clear image when
they speak of the impacts of solar activity on
our social infrastructure, there are a variety ofdifferent ways in which we are actually being
impacted. For example, one of the most notorious cases of space weather disasters occurred in
March 1989 in the vicinity of Quebec, Canada.
A disturbance in the space environment caused
by a large explosion on the solar surface (solar
flare) caused excessive current to flow throughthe power grid on the ground, resulting in a disaster that caused substation failures and consequent power outages. Space weather is also
known to have a significant impact on satellite
operations and other activities. In July 2000, as
a result of a solar flare-induced disturbance inthe space environment, the Japanese scientificsatellite ASCA lost control of its attitude, andhence lost its ability to generate electricity fromits solar cells, eventually falling out of orbit.
As for the impact of space weather on satellite operations, the incident in February 2022
where around 40 Starlink communications satellites fell out of orbit due to disturbances in thespace environment is still fresh in our collective
memory.
As a recent example of impact on our wireless infrastructure, we can point to the solar
flare on September 2017 that increased GPS
positioning errors. During this event, GPS positioning accuracy deteriorated as a result of
delays in radio wave propagation from GPS
satellites that were caused by solar flare-induced disturbances in the space environment.
This prompted the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (under the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism), which
operates Japan's GPS receiver network, to issue
a flash report stating, "With respect to the positioning system used by the general public, suchas in car navigation systems and smartphones,
there were times during the daytime on September 8 when users experienced significant
deterioration in positioning accuracy." (https://www.gsi.go.jp/denshi/denshi40001.html). It
was within this time window that super hurricane Irma hit coastal areas of the Caribbean
Sea, and it is known that the solar flare caused a
total loss of radio communications, which hampered hurricane rescue efforts.

Figure 1

Space weather website（https://swc.nict.go.jp/en/）

Figure 2 A
 nnex 3 to the convention on international civil aviation (left), and the space weather
information manual (right)■Real-World Use of Space Weather
Information
In the previous section, we gave examplesof space weather disasters that have actuallyoccurred in various areas of our lives. Aviation
is an industry that has been quick to incorporate space weather information into real-world
operations to reduce the impact of such space
weather disasters. In fact, space weather information has already been in use for some timein commercial aircraft operations. The aviation industry recognizes the importance of thefollowing three key aspects of space weather
information in their commercial aircraft operations. The first is to avoid shortwave communication interference between aircraft andground control, the second is to prevent increases in electronic navigation measurement
errors in aircraft positions, and the third is to
reduce aircrews’ exposure to space radiation.
The International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO), a specialized agency of the United
Nations, added “space weather information”
in the amendment 78 (2018) of Annex 3 to
the Convention on International Civil Aviation (commonly known as the Chicago Convention), which provides for "meteorologicalservice for international air navigation." In response to this move, the use of space weather
information in commercial aircraft operations
began on November 7, 2019 (Figure 2).
Currently, four space weather centers appointed by ICAO (the United States, European
Consortium, Australia-Canada-France-Japan
Consortium, and China-Russia Consortium)
take turns disseminating space weather information to various aviation-related organizations via weather information networks.
NICT is part of the space weather center asa member of the Australia-Canada-France-Japan Consortium.

Figure 3 S olar radio telescope and ionospheric observation antenna installed at the Yamagawa Radio observation
facility■Space Weather Forecasting
Services
The most critical and indispensable aspectof space weather forecasting is the uninterrupted 24/7 monitoring and analysis of solar
activity and the state of the space environment
surrounding our planet.
At NICT, we conduct our own observations of solar radio waves, geomagnetic field,
and the ionosphere (Figure 3), collect and analyze observational data from other domestic
and overseas organizations, and distribute
various space weather information 24 hours
a day. While our space weather forecasts rely
on a large amount of data from observations
made overseas, some space weather phenomena are localized to regional domains. In order to provide highly accurate information onthese phenomena, we need observational data
not only from overseas but Japan’s vicinity.
To this end, NICT is developing systems thatallow us to observe the space environment
on our own by mounting space environment

sensors on board the next-generation of meteorological satellites Himawari which will beparked in geostationary orbits over Japan.
Our space weather forecasting service includes twice-daily reports as well as special
bulletins that are sent out when large-scale
phenomena occur. This information is distributed via e-mail and websites (Figure 1) toa wide variety of users beyond the aviationindustry, including the wireless communications, satellite positioning, satellite operations,and power industries, as well as the media.
We also continue to exchange views with various users to be advanced in space weather
forecasting and enable more user-friendly information distribution. NICT provides space
weather forecasting services every day sothat we are able to maintain the safety of ourcurrent social infrastructure and realize innovations such as space travel that can create
prosperity for future social life.

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

7

FEATURE

Public Services provided by NICT

Calibration Service
Calibration services for measuring instruments of radio
equipment and frequency standards

T

SAKAI Kojiro
Research Engineer,Standard Calibration Group, Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory,
Electromagnetic Standards ResearchCenter, Radio Research Institute
He joined in NICT in 2014. He has been
involved in calibration works on radio
measuring instruments for high-frequency electric power and is currently the ISO/
IEC17025-based technical supervisor for
NICT's calibration services.

he Standards Calibration Group at
NICT provides calibration services
for instruments for radio equipment and frequency standards. "Calibration" is the processof determining the difference between thecorrect value (reference value) and measurements taken by a measuring instrument as the
subject of calibration. Whereas “校正” (kosei)
is the generally used term, the kanji (Chinesecharacters) used in the Radio Act are “較正”(kosei), which are phonetically pronounced
the same. The original meaning of “較正” notonly includes determination of the deviationfrom a reference value, but also adjustmentof the instrument to output the correct value.
However, this adjustment process is usually
performed only by the manufacturer. Therefore, “較正” and “校正” practically refer to thesame task, and since NICT is the top-level organization for calibration based on the Radio
Act, we primarily use the kanji “較正.”■NICT’s Role under the Radio Act and
Measurement Act

SUGIYAMA Tsutomu (left)
Senior Researcher,Standard Calibration Group,Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory,
Electromagnetic Standards ResearchCenter, Radio Research Institute

SEKIDO Mamoru (right)
Research Manager,
Space-Time Standards Laboratory/
Standard Calibration Group, Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory,
Electromagnetic Standards ResearchCenter, Radio Research Institute

8

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

In principle, because radio frequencies area finite resource, a radio station license is required to use (emit) radio waves used for cellular phones and TV broadcasting, etc. In orderto obtain this license, inspections (checks) ofradio equipment are performed under technicalstandards set forth in the Radio Act. In order tocarry out fair inspections, correctly calibrated
instruments for radio equipment are essential.
As shown in Figure 1, the Radio Act stipulates that the measuring instruments used forinspections of radio equipment by registeredinspectors shall be calibrated by NICT or adesignated calibration agency. Furthermore,
it is stipulated under the Ministry of Internal
Affairs and Communications Ordinance thatmeasuring instruments used by designated calibration agencies must be calibrated by NICT.
In other words, the quality standards of radio
waves at radio stations nationwide are tied to(traceable to) NICT's calibration operations,and the smartphones that we use also follow
these quality standards. In addition, to support
International Mutual Recognition (International MRA)* of the calibration of instruments forradio equipment, we perform JCSS calibration

based on the Measurement Act which conforms
with the international standard ISO/IEC17025.
Also, NICT maintains the national measurement standard of UTC (NICT), which is synchronized with Coordinated Universal Time
(UTC) as the world's common time system.
And we provide accurate time and frequency as
the Japan Standard Time nationwide. As illustrated in Figure 1, NICT is the primary calibration institute under the Measurement Act, andalso we use these national frequency standards
to perform calibration services for frequency
standards.

■ Calibration Categories and Items
Calibration categories at NICT are grouped
as shown in Table 1. We cover calibration fora wide range of items including frequency
standards, frequency counters, RF (Radio Frequency) power meters, RF attenuators, standard voltage/current generators, volt ammeters,
antennas, and specific absorption rate (SAR)
measurement probes. In terms of frequencies,
we support a wide range of calibrations covering frequencies from DC to 330 GHz, which
are further subdivided according to the power
and input impedance that is used.

■ Actions for Millimeter andSubmillimeter Wave Band
Frequencies
In recent years, the frequencies used for
wireless applications have been expanding
from the microwave band (3-30 GHz) to themillimeter wave band (30-300 GHz) and evento the submillimeter wave band (300 G-3 THz),and the uses of radio waves are no longer limited to communications and broadcasting but
have diversified to include wireless powertransmission and in-vehicle radar, resulting in
rapidly growing markets. To support these new
applications of radio waves and R&D such as
Beyond 5G/6G, a new calibration procedure
at frequencies above the millimeter wave bandare needed. In particular, NICT provides calibration services at the frequency range of 110330 GHz band, which is difficult for the private
testing laboratory to implement it because of
the problems of costs and technology, and iscurrently getting ready to additionally provide
the services at the submillimeter wave band.

Table 1

Figure 1

Organization of the National Calibration system

Figure 2

 illimeter-wave power meterM
calibration system■ Expansion of our Antenna
Calibration Services
Radio waves radiated from radio equipment
include desired signals and, spurious and unwanted emissions. Their acceptable intensity
tolerances are respectively set by the Radio
Act. In addition, electronic equipment may
emit undesired radio waves (electromagnetic
interference) that possibly affect other radio
equipment, hence the International Special
Committee on Radio Interference (CISPR) has
established acceptable tolerances for such undesired radio emissions. To verify compliancewith such standards, measurement by using
properly calibrated antennas is needed. NICT
has carried out calibration of loop antennas, dipole antennas, horn antennas, etc., and has obtained JCSS accreditation (International MRA
compliant) for years. In addition, calibration oflog-periodic antennas has been newly recognized by JCSS this year.

■ Calibration of Frequency Standards
Based on National Frequency
Standards
Frequency calibration services that issue
calibration certificates include "local calibra-

Figure 3 alibration of log-periodic antennas in radioCanechoic chambertion" (Figure 4), where the frequency standard
as subject to be calibrated is brought to NICT
for direct comparison with UTC (NICT), and"remote calibration," where a frequency standard at a remote site is compared with UTC(NICT) via GPS satellite signals. The "local
calibration" method has the benefit of a small
uncertainty (5×10-14), but its drawback is thatthe validity of measurements values are strictly
limited to the time of calibration. An advantage of remote calibration is that comparative
monitoring is possible at all times, although thedegree of uncertainty will be somewhat larger(5×10-13).
In recent years, NTP servers and sourcesof standard frequencies that are equipped with
GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receivers are commercially available. Althoughsome of them provide time and frequency close
to UTC, the signal provided by these devices
are not always regarded as being traceable toUTC. The “traceability” requires an "unbroken
chain of calibration" of evaluation and propagation of uncertainty from the primary standard.
And the uncertainty and deviation of the output signal must be evaluated by a calibrationlaboratory. As the use of time and frequency
sources that use the GNSS satellites is growing,

List of NICT calibration services

Category ofcalibration services

Overview description

Calibration service
for measuring
instruments for
the Registered
Inspectors

Calibration services provided for"Registered Inspectors" as definedin the Radio Act, Article 24-2

Calibration service
based on the
Measurement Act(jcss)

Calibration of frequency standards
provided to "JCSS registeredoperators (calibration service
providers)" as stipulated in the
Measurement Act, Article 143

Calibration service
based on the
Measurement Act(JCSS)

Calibration of RF power meters,
etc., in accordance with the
Measurement Act, Article 144(International MRA compliant)Calibration service
based on theaccreditation
system of the
National Instituteof Technology and
Evaluation (ASNITE)

Calibration of frequency standards(International MRA compliant)based on the accreditation
system of the National Institute ofTechnology and Evaluation (NITE)(ASNITE)

Commissioned
calibration

Calibration of measuring instruments
and other equipment used forinspections, etc. of radio equipment(including RF use equipment)in accordance with the National
Institute of Information andCommunications Technology Act

Figure 4

 easurement facility of local calibration
M
service for frequency standards

there may be a need for public calibration services to ensure the traceability for such devices.

■ Summary
The NICT Standards Calibration Groupwill continue to be the basis of radio wave
utilization through the calibration services of
instruments of radio equipment and frequency
standards for accurate measurement of radio
waves, and will further support advancements
in radio wave utilization toward the B5G era
going forward. In the next fiscal year, we plan
to launch a RF power verification service in the
330-500 GHz frequency band (Compliant with
the Special case of a license for a specified experimental radio station).

＊International Mutual Recognition Agreement(International MRA): An arrangement whereby
multiple countries mutually recognize theequivalence of inspections and confirmationsof compliance with technical requirements forthe certification of equipment.

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

9

FEATURE

Public Services provided by NICTCYDER: CYber Defense Exercise
with Recurrence
Cyber defense exercise for government agencies,
local public institutions, etc.
Figure 1 K ey members of the National Cyber Training
Center's CYDER program operations

he National Cyber Training Center
implements the “CYDER” program,a practical cyber defense exercise thatfunctions as a public service for human resource development. CYDER is an exercise
mainly for IT system personnel who workat government agencies, independentadministrative agencies, and local public
institutions. Many such personnel who areon the front lines of ensuring the security of
personal information, including the Individual Number, take the course every year on acontinuing basis. Thus, the center is making
a direct contribution to improving the capability to respond to security incidents inJapanese society as a whole.

T

NAKAGAWA Tetsuya
Research Engineer,
Cyber Training Laboratory
National Cyber Training Center,
Cybersecurity Research Institute
After graduated from graduate school, he
worked for a big Japanese electric company as a researcher and a project manager.
He joined NICT in 2018, been engaged indevelopment of CYDERANGE (NICT cybertraining platform) and in management of
CYDER training.

■Background
CYDER was launched in 2013 as a Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
demonstration experiment, and the initiative
was then transferred to NICT. It has been operated to date in 47 prefectures throughout
Japan, approximately 100 times a year, witha capacity of more than 3,000 attendees, andthe number of participants has reached a totalof 20,000. In addition, by utilizing R&D outcomes of the independently developed exercise platform CYDERANGE, the center has
been able to offer online exercises in addition to group exercises as an exercise methodfrom FY2021.
■Exercise Content of CYDER

Figure 2

10"CYDER" is a practical cyber defense exercise that teaches how
to respond in the eventof a cyberattack. It offers an initial response
exercise program thatutilizes NICT's cybersecurity knowledge. The
CYDER exercise provides a series of initial
response steps to minimize damage in a roleplay format. The center(Figure 1) is responsible
not only for operation ofTraining environment of CYDER（a network of virtual organization）

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

the exercise itself, but for all of its aspects
as well, including exercise scenario development, exercise platform development, andpublic awareness activities.
In CYDER's exercise system (Figure 2),a virtual environment optimized for each exercise cvourse is created, allowing trainees
to experience practical responses throughhands-on training using actual tools. The center also thoroughly analyzes the latest trends
in real-life cyberattack cases and prepares
up-to-date scenarios for each course. It is nolonger possible to completely defend against
increasingly sophisticated cyberattack methods year after year. Since being victimized bycyberattacks is inevitable, the center expects
trainees to repeatedly attend CYDER to learna series of response measures in order to minimize damage even in the event of the latest
and varied attacks.
■Future Prospects
For the time being, the center’s goal is to
reduce to zero the number of local public institutions that have not yet taken CYDER, as
they are the main target of this project. After
conducting surveys on the reasons for notparticipating in CYDER, it was found thatsome personnel were unable to have sufficient time due to various concurrent duties
required in a small municipality, while others
missed the opportunity to attend CYDER's
group exercises due to geographical and time
factors.
For the former group, the center will offer an online exercise program that can bedivided into fifteen-munitues sessions toallow participants to learn the minimum required measures to respond to a cyberattack
incident. For the latter group, the center will
utilize CYDERANGE, an exercise platformthat allows hands-on training in an online environment, including log analysis using virtual machines, and will also plan to develop
and provide an online exercise program thatmatches the effectiveness of group exercises.
The center will continue to develop exercise programs to respond to new social needs
in which people can participate according totheir convenience.

An introduction of Human Resource
Development against Cybersecurity
threats in SecHack365 at NICT
Nurturing security innovators
Figure 1

S

YOKOYAMA Teruaki
Senior Researcher, Cyber Training Laboratory, National Cyber-Training Center,
Cybersecurity Research Institute/
Quantum ICT Collaboration Center
Working for SecHack365 program for cultivating young cybersecurity talent and
NQC program for quantum ICT humanresource development at NICT. Holds a
Ph.D. in engineering. Participated in the
IPA Mitou Youth Program. Specializes ininternet technology, covering from foundational technologies to practical applications, and has conducted demonstrations, industry-academia collaborations,and educational activities. A member ofthe WIDE Project and the Cyber Kansai
Project.
Reference
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

Young Security Innovator Nourishing Program
SecHack365 (in Japanese)
https://sechack365.nict.go.jp/
NICT National Cyber Training Center (in Japanese)
https://nct.nict.go.jp/
SecHack365 FY2021 List of works (in Japanese)https://sechack365.nict.go.jp/achievement/2021/
index.html
SecHack365 FY2020 List of works (in Japanese)https://sechack365.nict.go.jp/achievement/2020/
index.html

ecHack365[1] is a human resources
development program for young
talent aged 25 and younger, aimed at cultivating creative human resources who
understand cybersecurity. The NICT Cyber
Training Laboratory, National Cyber Training Center [2] has been offering and implementing the course since FY2017 (Figure1). Those who can create unique technologies and works related to cybersecurity are
named security innovators, and the center
is working to produce human resources inmany fields, including security research anddevelopment, general ICT research and development, and others.

■SecHack365 Implementation Details
Each year about 40 participants are selected for a one-year security hackathon. Participants can freely decide their creation theme.
Some may work on research and development of technologies that can solve security issues, while others may be interested infoundational ICT technologies and work on
their reproduction as a white box, or anticipate security threats against various applied
services and incorporate countermeasures
into them. In all cases, security suggestions
and innovations are essential.
Opportunities are provided for all members to gather together, such as at camp-style
events or through online activities, bringing
and sharing the results of their activities
with each other, reviewing them, and communicating with each other. Collaborative
creation is encouraged through guidance andadvice from specialists in a variety of research and development fields, including researchers and practitioners both internal andexternal to NICT, as well as through discussions among participants. In order to deliver
the newly learned technologies to society ina better form, enhancement of guidance onsocial implementation and ethics education
are also emphasized.

■Examples of SecHack365's Works
Figure 2  O ne-year program of
SecHack365 for FY2023

Overview of SecHack365

are introduced below.
(1)SecHackFuzz, a fuzzing tool for web applications that fits in the development
environment(FY2021 by AKAMATSU Hiroki)
There is a random data entry tool for security verification called Fuzzing.He proposed
Fuzzing for unconventional web applications
by using genetic algorithms, a form that iseasy to integrate into the web development
process, to solve the problem of data bloat.
He attained results that can be readily used by
web application developers and implemented
with a high degree of completeness [3].
(2) Security and privacy risk assessment of
COVID-19 Contact-Confirming Application(FY2020 NOMOTO Kazuki)
He focused on the neighborhood notification function of COCOA, the COVID-19
Contact-Confirming Application, and founda number of technical problems, including
concerns about the possibility of identifying
test-positive individuals by recording thenotification signal and the possibility of attacking false close contact persons. He took
preliminary measures including notifying the
COCOA developer of these concerns, and presented the findings at an academic conference,
which resulted in receiving an award; thus, hisfindings were beneficial to society [4].
Examples of initiatives other than thoselisted above are found on the SecHack365
Web page.

■Future Prospects
During the six years of SecHack365 implementation, many talented individuals havelaunched into various fields. With the experience acquired through the repeated process of creation, presentation, and review in
SecHack365, those people have started flourishing by using their ideas to get to the heartof various security challenges. I look forward
to seeing the talent borne from SecHack365
continue to produce security-related deliverables for society in the future.

Many initiatives have been implemented
in SecHack365. Some of the unique works
NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

11

FEATURE

Public Services provided by NICTAn Introduction to NQC
Nurturing quantum ICT natives

rom the perspective of the feasibility of performance and functionality
beyond legacy computers and communication technologies, there is great hope andinterest in computers and communication
technologies based on quantum technology. However, the field of quantum ICT
requires a unique perspective on quantum mechanics along with an extremely
broad range of knowledge, and there is aneed to enhance human resources for thepromotion of quantum ICT in Japan [1]. Under these circumstances, in FY2020, NICT
started the NICT Quantum Camp (NQC),
a human resource cultivation program tocultivate "quantum ICT natives” in order tofoster human resources in the field of quantum ICT [2].

F

YOKOYAMA Teruaki
Senior Researcher, Cyber Training Laboratory, National Cyber-Training Center,
Cybersecurity Research Institute/
Quantum ICT Collaboration Center
Working for SecHack365 program for cultivating young cybersecurity talent and
NQC program for quantum ICT humanresource development at NICT. Holds a
Ph.D. in engineering. Participated in the
IPA Mitou Youth Program. Specializes ininternet technology, covering from foundational technologies to practical applications, and has conducted demonstrations, industry-academia collaborations,and educational activities. A member ofthe WIDE Project and the Cyber Kansai
Project.

■About NQC Program
In implementing NQC, we receive cooperation from NICT's quantum-related researchers as well as from leading researchersand practitioners in the field of quantum ICT
in Japan. This includes holding lectures andother events [2]. Thanks to such cooperation,
we conduct three programs according to thestage of understanding and interest, and therange of interest (Figure 1).

1.

Public seminars
Public seminars are online lecture meetings to acquire an overview of the quantum
ICT field. Lecturers from academia and industry are invited to provide lectures thatserve as a gateway to quantum ICT, including the principle of quantum computers,
quantum computing algorithms, quantum
communication, quantum cryptography, andthe status of practical applications of quantum computers. The public seminars are open
to anyone interested, and the program attracts
wide participation from academia, industry,
students and working adults.
2.

Experience human resource cultivation
This is an online program that provides
lectures and exercises related to quantum
ICT to those who wish to learn in the fieldof quantum ICT (Figure 2). We select 50 diverse participants based on comprehensive
judgments that not only include their prerequisite quantum knowledge but also theirexperience in other fields and motivation for
the future. Six months of lecture attendance
and online communication provide the forum
for these human resources to come together
and interact.
The lectures offer a wide range of content
on quantum ICT according to the expertiseof the NQC committee members. We offer
lectures by people who are on the front lines,
and interaction with questions and discussions. In addition to the lectures, the program
includes quantum computer programming
exercises using IBM Qiskit[3] to provide participants with the experience of implementing what they learned on simulators and theactual IBM Quantum system, as well as theexperience of outputting through the creationof materials and presentations by selecting an
arbitrary theme in the quantum field. In thisway, the program offers participants a multifaceted quantum ICT learning experience.
3.

Figure 1

12

Overview of NQC program

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

Exploration human resource cultivation“Exploration human resource cultivation”
is a program that provides funding, introductions to experts, and other support for research and development in the quantum field.

Figure 2 Images of How the Experiential
Program is Offered

Proposals are invited for specialized researchand development themes, and up to five proposals are selected by NQC committee members based on the impact of the results andthe appropriateness of goals and plans. We
provide opportunities for discussion among
participants, such as activity reports and information sharing meetings, which are connected to opportunities for learning, emergence, etc.
The contents of the reports are also sharedwith NQC committee members, researchers
within NICT, and alumni, creating opportunities for referrals to experts, individual meetings, consultations and discussions. Throughinterim and final presentations, participants
communicate their research and development
to experts in the quantum field and publish
their results. In this way, participants aim toachieve research and development results bydelving deeply into specialized themes. Theses submitted by participants on the content
of activities or the results of activities in NQC
lead to subsequent careers such as going on
to higher education or studying abroad.

Table1

Example of themes in seek type human resource development program

Theme of R&D

Student

Microwave sensing using RF dressed states of NitrogenOKANIWA Ryusei
Vacancy (NV) centers in Diamond
Post-quantum hash value generation method using
KOJIMA Sota
quantum sequential processing
Simulability of sharp measurements and their physical
KOBAYASHI Kodai, MINAGAWA Shintaro
realizability
The power of quantum proof in distributed verification

HASEGAWA Atsuya

Study of catalytic effects of quantum annealing considering
HATTORI Tomohiro
problem individuality

NQC as NQC supporters, providing operational cooperation and other support. NQC
supporters are involved in teaching and operations, such as assisting with instruction,
providing information, and offering study
sessions and supplementary lectures. In thisway, NQC supporters gain experience as future core human resources in the quantum
field.

■NQC Community■Future Prospects

Important goals in nurturing quantum ICT
natives in NQC not only include knowledgetransfer but creating human networks among
instructors and participants as well. For instance, online chat is used for communication outside of lectures. This two-way communication style is also a unique feature of
NQC, including lively question-and-answer
sessions during lectures, and chat and freetime for questions called “Birds of a Feather.” Over the course of the six-month period,
voluntary activities such as online mutual
teaching among participants, lecturing inturn, study sessions, etc. have emerged.
Alumni are also allowed to continue to
use the chat for sharing and consulting about
their career path and career status, communicating quantum-related internships and otherprograms, and sharing their recent activities
at an alumni association, thus creating connections that go beyond academic years. In
addition, alumni who have come forward to
support NQC's activities have been assisting

We expect that NQC alumni will continue
their relationship with the program to make
NQC a hub of quantum ICT human resources
in Japan. We have been informed that somealumni went on to higher education in thequantum field or changed careers to the quantum field as a result of their participation in
NQC. We feel that NQC has contributed to
producing excellent human resources in thefield of quantum ICT. NICT has also started
an activity called "Young Researchers Lab"at the Quantum ICT Collaboration Center for
more specialized careers, and has establisheda system to be a part of human resource circulation by accepting research assistants, etc. [4].
We also aim to collaborate with otherprograms by introducing and disseminating
the aforementioned programs, as well as
publicizing recruitment information within
NQC. We have so far invited various organizations to introduce their projects. This includes the MITOU Program of the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA),

the INNO-vation Program of the Ministry ofInternal Affairs and Communications, andcorporate internships, which could be thenext challenge for NQC participants. We also
introduced the Moonshot Research and Development Program of the Cabinet Office and
Q-STAR (Quantum STrategic industry Alliance for Revolution), which will be relevant
to NQC participants’ future careers as social
movements in industry and academia. NICT
has also started closer collaborations, including NICT's consortium membership in the
Quantum Academy of Science and Technology, a common core program of the Q-LEAP
Program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
NQC will expand on the results of thesehuman resource cultivation and collaboration
efforts to contribute to the quantum field. We
look forward to the participation of those interested in quantum ICT.

Reference
[1]

[2]
[3]
[4]

 uantum Technology Innovation FINALQ
REPORT, Cabinet Office, Jan. 21, 2020
https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/tougosenryaku/
ryoushisenryaku.pdf  (in Japanese)
NQC Official Website:
https://nqc.nict.go.jp/  (in Japanese)
IBM Qiskit: https://qiskit.org/
NICT Quantum ICT Collaboration Center:https://www2.nict.go.jp/qictcc/en/index.html

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6

13

NICT NEWS 2023 No.6 Vol.502

NICT has recently published the Current and Future Trends of ICT 2023,
a report on current research and development trends and future prospects in the field of information and communications technology (ICT),
which is expected to play a major role in realizing a prosperous futuresocial infrastructure.
The report introduces eight major technological trends (“Foundationalcross-cutting technology,” “Utilization of electromagnetic waves,”“Communication network infrastructure,” “ICT device technology,” “Cybersecurity,” “Quantum ICT,” “AI/Universal communication,” and“Bio-ICT and brain science for ICT”).
https://www2.nict.go.jp/idi/en/#ictrepo
The report consists of two chapters. Chapter 1 begins with an introduction, providing an overview of the global landscape surrounding the ICT
field, outlining the latest trends in ICT in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. In
Chapter 2, in each specific subfield within the ICT sector, the above
notable eight areas of ICT are focused, and the latest research anddevelopment trends as well as future prospects are summarized.
We hope that the contents of this report will be utilized by policy
makers in Japan’ s information and communications, economy, administration, education, and ICT research communities to contribute to thedevelopment of ICT and the realization of a safe and secure Society 5.0.

Published by Public Relations Department, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
Issue date: Nov. 2023 (bimonthly)

Publication of“The Current and Future Trends of ICT 2023”

https://www2.nict.go.jp/idi/en/#ictrepo

4-2-1 Nukui-Kitamachi, Koganei, Tokyo
184-8795, Japan
TEL: +81-42-327-5392    FAX: +81-42-327-7587
URL: https://www.nict.go.jp/en/

ISSN 2187-4050 (Online)