sary measures to be taken by telecommunication service operators when providing positioning information services.

With respect of the protection of personal information in the broadcasting field, the MIC formulated the “Guidelines concerning Protection of Personal Information of Broadcast Viewers/Listeners” in August 2004 prior to the fully-fledged enforcement of the Private Information Protection Law in April 2005. These guidelines were reviewed in July 2007 in line with the changes that occurred after the enforcement, and were partially revised with respect to the following two points: (1) to clarify who may acquire personal information of viewers, etc., and (2) to handle the personal information recorded on a reception device safely.

### 2. Promotion of information security policy

## (1) Information security measures of the government

The government has made a concerted attempt to promote information security measures by establishing the National Information Security Center in the Cabinet Secretariat (NISC) in April 2005, as a central organization for information security measures, and the Information Security Council in the Strategic Headquarters for Promotion of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Network Society in May 2005.

The First Information Security Basic Plan (the Basic Plan) was formulated by the Information Security Council in February 2006 as a strategy to cover information security issues in Japan during the three years from FY2006 and FY2008, and “Secure Japan 2007” was compiled as a specific annual plan for FY2007 based on the Basic Plan.

## (2) Realization of an environment for safe and secure use of the Internet

Based on the u-Japan policy and the First Information Security Basic Plan, etc., the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication (MIC) has been making efforts toward responding to diversified products and the improvement of human and organizational capacities that would lead to the enhancement and increased reliability of networks which, from the standpoint of a competent ministry in the ICT field, is one of the most important infrastructures, in order to develop an environment where people can use information and communications networks safely.

## (3) Ensuring safety and reliability in the telecommunications services

In recent years, as IP networks progress, accidents and disturbances have been occurring more frequently on a larger scale and for longer periods. In order to respond to these changes, deliberations have been conducted at the Information and Communications Council, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) received a partial reports entitled “Safety/Reliability Measures for IP Based Networks” in May 2007 and “Safety and Reliability Standards for IP Based Networks” in January 2008 from the Council. Based on these reports, the MIC reviewed (1) the revision of ministerial ordinances to include a review of reporting criteria and control regulations for accidents and periodical reporting of accidents, and (2) the revision of guidelines.

### 3. Ensuring reliability of electronic data

In order to promote socio-economic activities further, using a network such as e-commerce and ensuring a smooth user environment for electronic signatures attached to electronic data, the Law concerning Electronic Signature and Certification Services has been enforced since April 2001 in Japan. As of the end of April 2008, 18 specific certification services have been accredited.

Since the importance of a time stamp attached to electronic data that would improve reliability at the time of creating electronic data that are distributed and stored in the field of e-commerce, and the associated “time business service”, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has been actively making efforts toward promotion of the use of time business by formulating and releasing the Guidelines concerning Time Business to allow people to use time business services provided by private business safely.