# Promoting IT in Administration and Public Services

### 1. Promoting IT in Local Areas

The MPHPT has been promoting comprehensive digitization of local communities, through activities to close the gaps in info-communications and telecommunications, as well as intangible activities utilizing information and communications, with the view of improving education, welfare, and other services for residents, improving the efficiency of public administration, and rectifying the digital divide. In addition, the MPHPT held the “Study Group on Production of Local Information on the Terrestrial Digital Broadcasting” from September 2002, which discussed the various problems that could occur when local governments utilize terrestrial digital broadcasting for publishing administrative and other information, and compiled a report in March 2003.

### 2. Revitalizing Local Economies through Utilization of IT

The MPHPT promotes a concept of IT business model districts based on the “Basic Policies for Economic and Fiscal Policy Management and Structural Reform 2002” (Cabinet decision in June 2002). This is a concept to designate the local governments that are enthusiastic about promotion of IT businesses and realize an attractive business environment for IT businesses prior to other areas, in order to accumulate IT businesses and revitalize local economies through establishing local development models of IT businesses and applying those models to other communities. In April 2003, eight districts were designated nationwide as IT business model districts. The MPHPT also promotes development of Okinawa through IT.

### 3. Accomplishing an e-Government

With regard to acceptance of online administrative procedures, all administrative procedures (approx. 52,000 procedures) including applications and notifications by individuals and companies will be made accessible around the clock from home and office computers via the Internet by the end of fiscal 2003, in principle. In the area of legal systems, the three laws for providing online administrative procedures, namely, the “Law Concerning the Use of Information and Telecommunications Technology on Administrative Procedures (Online Administrative Procedures Law),” the “Law Concerning Preparation of Related Laws for Enforcing Online Administrative Procedures Law (Preparation Law),” and the “Law Concerning Digital Signature Certification of Local Public Entity (Public Individual Certification Law)” for further computerizing the central and local governments passed the 155th session of the Diet in December 2002. Among these laws, the Online Administrative Procedures Law and the Preparation Law (partially excluded) went into force in February 2003.

The digitization of government procurement procedures (excluding public works) is promoted by the Liaison Meeting of Ministries and Agencies for Promoting Digitization of Government Procurement Procedures (Excluding Public Works), which is led by the MPHPT and attended by all ministries and agencies, according to the “Future Measures based on the Study Findings of the Virtual Agency (Task Force Jointly Formed by Ministries and Agencies)” (decided by the Advanced Information and Telecommunications Society Promotion Headquarters in December 1999). The MPHPT developed an online bid system using the Internet for the bid tendering/opening in fields such as commodities, etc., and launched operation of the “electronic tendering and bid opening system for non-public works” in October 2002.

The Japanese government, which is advancing computerization of administration in a comprehensive and organized manner based on the e-Japan Priority Policy Program and other programs, developed and reorganized the conventional "Liaison Meeting of Ministries and Agencies for Promoting Computerization of Administration" into a new framework in September 2002 to secure a more firm foundation for driving computerization as the whole government and to promote the digitization of administration more powerfully. This new framework was established under the IT Strategic Headquarters as the "Liaison Meeting of the Chief Information Officers (CIOs) of the Ministries and Agencies" (hereinafter referred to as the "CIO Liaison Meeting") consisting of the CIOs of the respective ministries and agencies. Toward the next phase of e-Government building, the CIO Liaison Meeting summarized "Toward Formulation of an e-Government Building Program (tentative)" in March 2003, which will be the basic policies for the programs to be implemented from fiscal 2003 until the end of fiscal 2005.

In order to implement prompt and precise disaster emergency activities in large-scale disasters and other