from now on, there is the risk that the gap in information between urban and rural areas will grow.
CATV is not only a media for transmitting television programs; it can also be used as a media for providing administrative services for local residents, such as public relations, lifelong learning, physical fitness' and agricultural guidance, considering the large quantity and mutual communication capacity of CATV. It is expected that CATV will be regarded as a kind of public facility.
Unlike captain, personal computer or off-talk communications, the circuits for CATV must be provided by the enterprise itself so a large amount of capital is needed for initial investment. However, CATV circuits have the potential for wide-ranging use and they are expected to play an important role in promoting local information networks and, in turn, local industry and culture, and in improving social welfare for residents.
Greater understanding of the significance and function of CATV in local government is being promoted. CATV is regarded as an important means of providing administrative services, especially in municipalities, and positive development of CATV projects is expected to be undertaken. It is necessary first of all, to establish a basic policy regarding CATV in the region of the local government concerned, and to build a system for cooperation in order to ensure smooth implementation of the project from the planning stage.
In view of these circumstances, the Ministry of Home Affairs notified all local governments around the country of the "promotion of CATV in local government" in May 1990, putting forward the basic views of the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the involvement of local government in CATV projects, executors of projects, financial measures relating to CATV projects executed by local governments, etc.
The "CATV Promotion Project" was established in 1995 to take financial support measures by a combination of general accounts and public enterprise bonds in order to promote establishment of CATV by local government in areas (mainly medium-sized municipalities) outside handicapped regions, based on expanding CATV, such as rebroadcasting of commercial broadcasts in areas with poor reception, utilization of CATV in general administrative service fields such as
