through Smartphone” studied actions needed regarding handling of user information, and published an interim report in April 2012. And together with this, the Working Group created a “Smartphone Privacy Guide” which sorts out matters which users themselves should at least be careful of in using smartphones.

## (3) Response to illegal and damaging information in the Internet

In order to newly add individual identification numbers of mobile phone terminals etc. to transmitter information subject to disclosure, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications revised the “Ministerial Ordinance Establishing Information of the Senders Set forth in Paragraph (1) of Article 4 of the Act on the Limitation of Liability for Damages of Specified Telecommunications Service Providers and the Right to Demand Disclosure of Identification Information of the Senders” in September 2011.

## (4) Protection of personal information in the ICT field

Regarding personal information protection in telecommunications businesses, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications created the “Guidelines for Personal Information Protection in Telecommunications Business” and its explanation. In November 2011, in response to the results of discussions of related ministries and agencies about location information obtained by telecommunications businesses, the guidelines and their explanation were revised in order to develop related rules.

### 2. Promotion of information security policy

## (1) Achievement of a safe and secure Internet usage environment

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been holding the “Smart Phone and Cloud Security Research Society” since October 2011. This research society put together its interim report in December 2011 including “Three Articles on Smart Phone Information Security”, and in June 2012, in addition to the interim report’s contents, it put together and published its final report which presents medium and long term countermeasures for businesses and government.

## (2) Promotion of safe utilization of electronic data

### a. Promotion of safety assessment and advancement of encryption technology

With the goal of ensuring safety and reliability of e-government etc., together with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications implemented the CRYPTOREC ciphers assessment project, publishes the “e-Government Recommended Ciphers List,” and assesses and monitors the safety of ciphers, etc. Currently, technology progress in recent years has created concerns about the jeopardy of ciphers in the “e-Government Recommended Ciphers List,” so CRYPTOREC is assessing candidate ciphers from various viewpoints.

### b. Promoting wider use of electronic signatures and certification business

In order to safely conduct social and economic activities via networks of electronic commerce transactions, the “Act on Electronic Signatures and Certification Business” defines certification business done for very secure electronic signatures as “Specified Certification Business,” and ensures the authenticity of electronic signatures. As of the end of April 2012, 16 Specified Certification Businesses have received accreditation.

### c. Promotion of use of time business

The Japan Data Communications Association accredits time businesses which meets certain standards, operating its “Time Business Reliability and Security Accreditation System” which provides reliability criteria to the public. Also, to clarify methods of time transmission and audit and in response to vulnerabilities found in encryption algorithms used in time stamps, it revised the technology standards of this accreditation system in November 2011, and plans to apply these starting October 2012.

### 3. Promotion of computerization in the fire safety and disaster preparedness field

There is work on development of fire safety and disaster preparedness communication networks which are strong in disasters, development of a national early warning system (J-ALERT), etc.

## Section 4

### Improving the Quality of Citizen’s Lives and the Natural Environment through ICT utilization 1. Promotion of ICT in the fields of education, medicine, etc

## (1) Promotion of ICT utilization in the education field

In order to promote ICT utilization in the education field, and derive and analyze issues focused on information and communication technology aspects, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been working on its “Future School Promotion Project” since