The use of recent technical innovation in the ICT field, such as cloud computing, and to respond to the ICT "from ownership to use" paradigm shift, even at regional governments that have already constructed their own information systems, by developing ICT applications such as ASP and SaaS.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been working on the Local Government Cloud Development Verification Project since FY 2009. In the project, regional governments actually use community clouds constructed on the Local Government Wide Area Network (LGWAN) as a way of improving the convenience and cutting costs of administrative services by further consolidating and sharing regional government information systems. In July 2010, the Ministry set up the Local Government Cloud Promotion Headquarters, headed by the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, which is promoting the national expansion of the local government cloud and working toward the establishment of e-local governments that will improve the level of resident services.

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

Because of the difficulty in identifying the creator of digital documents on the Internet, these documents are at risk of spoofing, falsification, and transmission denials. These problems must be resolved in order to move ahead with online administrative procedures and the realization of e-government and e-local governments. Therefore, based on the Law Concerning Local Government Certification Services related to Electronic Signature (Law No. 153 of 2002), local governments began providing the Public Certification System for Individuals in January 2004.

Applications and procedures that can be done with the Public Certification System for Individuals include filing tax returns and applying for property deeds. As of April 2010, the Public Certification System for Individuals was being used for procedures with 13 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

## Promotion of Research and Development (R&D)

### 1. Research and development strategy to enhance the international competitiveness of Japan

In coordination with the government’s overall science and technology policy and the New Growth Strategy (a June 2010 Cabinet decision), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is working toward strengthening Japan’s international competitiveness and resolving social issues on three fronts: green innovation, which aims to create a low-carbon society through higher energy-efficient ICT systems and broader application of ICT; life innovation, which aims to raise the convenience, safety, and security of ICT services and advance medical care, nursing, and health through the application of ICT; and future innovation, which aims to create new industries with Japan’s core technological strengths.

The Ministry submitted an inquiry to the Information and Communications Council in February 2011 to look into future R&D topics that should be pursued, approaches to R&D systems, and approaches to role sharing between government, industry, and academia, given the rapidly changing conditions in the ICT field. The Information and Communications Council, in receipt of this inquiry, set up the R&D Strategy Committee under the Information and Communications Policy Section, and the Committee is currently progressing with its examinations. The Ministry intends to efficiently and effectively advance research and development based on the results of the Committee's examinations.

### 2. Promotion of green innovation

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has a priority focus on R&D in the area of green innovation, which aims to create a low-carbon society through higher energy-efficient ICT systems and broader application of ICT. Specific topics include R&D into photonic network technology, R&D into ultra-high-speed optical edge-node technology, and the ICT Green Innovation Promotion Project.

### 3. Promotion of life innovation

In the area of life innovation, which aims to raise the convenience, safety, and security of electronic services and advance medical care, nursing, and health through