# Section 5 Promoting ICT Applications in Government Services

### 1. Promoting e-government

## (1) Realizing e-government

### a. Promoting back office collaboration projects

To advance information collaborations at the local government level, MIC is promoting the widespread adoption of regional information platforms. The Minis-

### 2. Promoting e-local government

MIC announced the Ten Guidelines to Accelerate E-Local Government Initiatives in March 2014. The Guidelines called for: (1) taking the opportunity presented by the number system’s introduction to make information systems more efficient, starting with deploying cloud-based local government services; (2) working to improve the convenience for residents through the use and application of open data and other new forms of ICT; and (3) establishing systems to promote e-local government, such as ensuring the security of systems and constructing PDCA cycles.

## (1) Constructing local government ICT infrastructure that is resilient against disasters and accidents

### a. Promoting cloud-based local government services

MIC has several initiatives to help deploy cloud-based local government services nationwide, including local government financial measures and research and studies on the introduction of cloud-based local government services.

### b. Promoting business continuity and ensuring information security

It is vital to ensure the operational continuity of local governments and to provide local residents with proper and timely administrative services in the event of a major disaster, like the Great East Japan Earthquake, or a large-scale cyber attack. Considering the lessons of the Great East Japan Earthquake, MIC released an initial version sample of the Business Continuity Plans for ICT Units in Local Governments (ICT-BCP) in order to ensure the fluid execution of emergency response operation is establishing and organizing reference operational flows for local governments when they begin using regional information platforms to collaborate with other local governments once the social security and taxation number system is in place.

tions by preparing ICT units for crises. In FY 2013, the Ministry completed seminars on how to establish an ICT-BCP. Moving forward, MIC will assist local governments with ICT-BCP establishment and strengthen and enhance their ability to respond to crises.

## (2) Enhancing infrastructure to achieve citizen-centered

### e-government and more efficient administrative procedures a. Application of the Resident Registration Network System

The number of personal identification records provided from the Resident Registration Network System to government institutions has been increasing year by year, reaching approximately 559 million items in FY 2013. This growth is due to the start in FY 2011 of the provision of personal identification records to allow the elimination of change of address and other notifications by pensioners.

### b. Public Certification Service for Individuals provided by local governments

Applications and procedures that can be done with the Public Certification System for Individuals include filing tax returns and property registrations. As of April 1, 2014, the Public Certification System for Individuals was being used for procedures from 10 government ministries and agencies, 47 prefectural governments, and several municipalities. It is necessary to promote the early and voluntary adoption of the Public Certification System for Individuals and to develop and entrench it as the authentication platform for many other online procedures.

## Section 6 Promoting Research and Development

### 1. Promoting research and development strategies

MIC is working to promote research and development following the Fourth Science and Technology Basic Plan (decided by the Cabinet in August 2011), which is Japan’s basic policy for science and technology.

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) is promoting efficient and effective research and development in four priority fields—base network technology, base technologies for universal communications, future base ICT technologies, and base electromagnetic sensing technology—during the third mid-term target period over five years starting in FY 2011. The priorities were selected in consideration of the government's overall science and technology and the current situation surrounding the information and communications field.