# Chapter 5

# Outlook for Information and Communications Policies

## Section 1

New Economic Growth through ICT

### 1. Promotion of a national strategy

In January 2001, the government enacted the Basic Act on the Formation of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Network Society and established the Strategic Headquarters for the Promotion of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Network Society (hereinafter referred to as the IT Strategy Headquarters), with the goal of swiftly and thoroughly introducing measures for the formation of an advanced information and telecommunications network society.

Since then, the government has formulated strategies and priority policy programs as needed, including the January 2001 “e-Japan Strategy” aimed at “making Japan the world's most advanced IT nation within five years,” and the July 2003 “e-Japan Strategy II” with the aim of “realize an energetic, worry-free, exciting and more convenient society through the utilization of IT.”

In May 2010, the IT Strategy Headquarters formulated a New Strategy in Information and Communications Technology with the goal of establishing a society of popular sovereignty, comprising the three main points of 1) "realisation of e-Government", 2) "re-bonding local communities" and 3) "creation of new markets and international expansion."

### 2. Promotion of a new economic growth strategy vision (the Haraguchi Vision)

In December 2009, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Kazuhiro Haraguchi unveiled the Haraguchi Vision composed of two elements, “promotion of “Midori no Bunken Kaikaku” policy-Growth Strategy from the region” (which aims to promote local sovereignty throughout society) and “the ICT Restoration Vision-Investment in Human Value-” (with the goal of realizing sustainable economic growth through the utilization of ICT.)

In addition, the following initiatives are being implemented.

(1) In order to contribute to finding solutions to the various economic and social issues being faced by Japan and many other countries through the effective use of ICT. October 2009, the MIC inaugurated an ICT Policy Task Force for a Global Era in order to investigate new ICT policies. In May 2010, a meeting of the Task Force summarized the basic policies aimed at establishing a New Broadband Super Highway (Hikari-no-michi).

(2) In December 2012, the MIC opened the Forum to Consider the State of the Protection of Citizens' Rights in the Future ICT Field in order to study the state of the protection of citizens rights, including the Right of Free Speech, in the ICT field which is a fundamental infrastructure of democracy.

(3) In order to clarify the direction of next-generation cloud technology, while comprehensively investigating the various issues concerning the development of cloud network technology, the MIC held the Smart Cloud Study Group starting in June 2009, and in May 2010 completed and presented a final report.

(4) Starting in April 2010, the MIC is opening a "Council on the Brain and ICT" in order to examine the crossover field of brain research and ICT, which is expected to be implemented in the form of an information and communication network offering support for disabled persons and the elderly, flexible response to unforeseen circumstances and low energy consumption requirements.

### 3. Promotion of reform in communications and broadcasting fields

So as to clarify and streamline the communications and broadcasting fields to better adapt to the progress of digitalization, the legal systems governing communications and broadcasting were overhauled for the first time in 60 years, with the systems governing various types of broadcast formats integrated into a comprehensive system and the system governing radio station licensing and other broadcasting accreditation given increased flexibility, and the Act Concerning Partial Revision of the Broadcast Act was submitted to the 174 $ ^{th} $ Diet session.