6. Capital investment .....43
7. Information and communications ventures .....43
8. International trade and investment .....43

Section 2: Telecommunications Business
1. Telecommunications carriers .....44
2. Telecommunications services .....44
3. Telecommunications rates .....44
4. Status of use of telecommunications media .....44
5. Telecommunications networks .....45
6. Complaints and inquiries on telecommunications services .....45

Section 3: Broadcasting Business
1. Broadcasters .....46
2. Broadcasting services .....46
3. Status of broadcasting media usage .....47

Section 4: Postal Service
1. Finances of postal service .....47
2. Volume of postal items .....48
3. Post office network .....48
4. Correspondence delivery business .....48

Section 5: Contents
1. Market size of the mobile contents industry .....48

Section 6: Human Resources Development
1. ICT education in public schools .....48
2. Development of ICT experts .....49

Section 7: Digitization of Homes and Companies
1. Digitization of homes .....49
2. Digitization of companies .....49

Section 8: R&D
1. R&D in the information and communications field .....50
2. Patents .....50

Section 9: Trends Abroad
1. Overseas national ICT strategies .....51
2. Usage status and market size of telecommunications worldwide .....51
3. Trends in overseas communications carriers and broadcasters .....51
4. Trends in ICT policies in the United States .....51
5. Trends in ICT policies in the EU .....51
6. Trends in ICT policies in Asia .....52

## Chapter 3 Trends of Information and Communications Policies

Section 1: Realizing a Society of Advanced Information and Communications Networks

1. Promotion of the national ICT strategy .....55
2. u-Japan Policy.....55

Section 2: Development of Information and Communications Policies
1. Development of telecommunications policies.....55
2. Development of broadcasting policies .....56
3. Promotion of policies concerning effective radio spectrum use.....57

Section 3: Upgrading Information and Communications Networks
1. Promoting improvement of the network infrastructure.....58
2. Promoting advances in broadcasting .....59
3. Convergence of communications and broadcasting .....60

Section 4: Promoting ICT in Private Companies
1. Measures for improving credibility of electronic data .....60
2. Establishment of environment for promoting the creation and growth of ICT venture companies.....60

Section 5: Promoting ICT in Administration and Public Services
1. Promoting ICT in local areas.....61
2. Accomplishing e-government.....61
3. Achieving e-local governments.....61

Section 6: Promoting Network Contents
Distribution and Developing Human Resources
1. Promoting the production, distribution, and preservation of network contents.....62
2. Developing human resources.....62

Section 7: Protecting Information and Communications Users
1. Consumer administration in telecommunications services.....62
2. Promoting measures for information security and privacy protection.....63
3. Overcoming the digital divide.....64
4. Improving the environment for radio spectrum use.....64

Section 8: Promoting R&D
1. Developing R&D policies in the information and communications field.....64
2. Implementing selective R&D.....65

Section 9: Promoting International Strategies
1. Promoting international policies.....66
2. Promoting international cooperation.....66
3. Promoting international standardization activities.....67

Section 10: Development of Postal Administration
1. Efforts of Japan Post, etc.....67