Chapter 2 Outline of Main Policies of Ministry of Home Affairs for Promotion of Local Information Networks
In recent years, with the rapid progress of information networks in every social and economic field, progressive local authorities have developed policies to revitalize regions using new information technology. This chapter aims to present the outline of the main policies of the Ministry of Home Affairs for promoting local information networks.
1. Guidelines for promotion of local information networks
The development of data processing technology and communications technology is resulting in major changes in the industrial, employment and regional structure of Japan. Consequently, information networks are considered by local governments to be of strategic importance in efforts to improve welfare for local residents and revitalize communities.
Since the early 1980s, successive plans for the promotion of local information networks have been proposed by many ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and efforts have been made to develop projects using new information and communications media especially in areas designated as model zones around the country. (Refer to Data 2 regarding the policies of each ministry and agency.)
Against the background of increasing computerization of internal administrative work, prefectures and municipalities are tending to adopt information and communications technology in order to improve the quality of services for residents and revitalize their communities.
However from a nationwide point of view it cannot be denied that this tendency is seen in only certain local governments, and that measures adopted by the public sector are still far behind those of private enterprises in large cities. At the same time, even in regions which have continued to vigorously adopt advanced information and communications technology services which do not conform to the needs of the region have often been introduced mainly from a technological point of view and as the services are generally managed by the third sector, in many cases they do not pay and there are very
