System Note” which detects the location and scale of an occurrence at an early stage is being promoted for rapid emergency restoration measures as well as the prevention and mitigation of damages through appropriate warnings and evacuations.

In the sewerage field, investigation to implement improvements in the sophistication and efficiency of site investigations by sensors and robots, efficient drainage management by the consolidation of big data and analysis techniques, and precise facilities operation using simulation technology and prediction techniques are being promoted.

## Use of Big Data

(1) Public Transportation Activation using Information and Communication Technologies

In the suburban cities, the number of users of public transportation facilities keeps decreasing due to such issues as the declining birthrate, growing proportion of elderly people and depopulation, resulting in the efficiency of public transportation deteriorating from efforts to maintain business, and the regional residents' dependency on private vehicles increasing. On the other hand, public transportation continues to play an important role for users like young and old people requiring a means of transportation.

Facing such a situation, the possibility and the problems of using the big data and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) were investigated and examined and in FY2013 the “Investigation concerning the Public Transportation Activation using Information and Communication Technologies” advisory committee was started with a 3 year plan to create a new and highly convenient transportation service, as well as to promote the use of ICT in the field of inbound tourism. In FY2014, in addition to sorting data type and use methods, an examination was carried out of the analysis evaluation and “Visualization” methods related to the migration data of people, and of the questionnaire survey technique using ICT, and then the effectiveness of these were verified by doing case studies using actual data in Tsukuba city of Ibaraki Prefecture and the Fukushima Prefecture region. In FY2015, along with providing suggestions for efficient data collection and analysis techniques that can be utilized by the local government and public transportation entrepreneurs, a generic and new business model using the big data is being proposed to support the local route bus operation.

## (2) Utilization of Automobile Related Information

Based on “Declaration to be the World’s Most Advanced IT Nation” in the “Japan Revitalization Strategy Revision 2014” decided by the cabinet in June 2014, driving information was acquired using the automobile traceability service and telematics that “makes visible” and provides the vehicle history not physically visible, such as the number of owners, repair and maintenance history, accident history. Priority theme status was then given to the Safe Driving Promotion Insurance, which provides incentive by reducing insurance premiums for safe driving practices, and concrete strategies for implementation including the creation of new services that utilize such Automobile Related Information were examined. The “Future Vision Related to the Utilization of Automobile Related Information” was drawn up in January 2015.

In future, the environmental considerations to advance the utilization of Automobile Related Information will be actively promoted, by verifying the effects of introduction of the new service and examining the information handling guidelines, to plan for the achievement of the priority themes, based on the "Future Vision Related to the Utilization of Automobile Related Information".