Information technology has progressed rapidly over the past decade. The rapid progress of information technology has underscored the importance of timing to disseminate information. Professor Akihiko Tanaka of Tokyo University has argued that the image of Japan in the international community is formed by the timing and quality of messages sent from Japan. Messages today are immediately disseminated to the entire world through the Internet. Once an image of a country is fixed, it is not easily changed.
Diplomatic achievement tends to be evaluated by the timing and skill of media use.
It is in Japan's long-term interest to remain as open and accessible as possible. It must constantly endeavor to raise its standards, especially regarding technology and the free flow of information. It is time for Japan to raise the technological, cultural, and economic bars as we head into the next century.