ICHIYA’s POP Eye – Manga

　Pop star, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s “Moshi Moshi Nippon” is an NHK international TV show, which is available with the internet, has my corner “ICHIYA’s POP EYE”. It introduces Japanese cool things every time. Let me introduce some of them.    Today’s topic is Manga!   Have you ever read Japanese manga? Japanese cartoon “manga” is now also popular overseas .   In Japan, 64% of the published books are manga. 20% of the sales of all publications are manga. I think, at most, only 1% of respective sales in other countries are manga.  ...

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Multi x Social of the future

　This is a continuation of the talk show on “social media and multi-screen”.  “Is social service still changing now?” 　That kind of social service refers to twitter, Facebook, Line etc… All these platforms changes each year, and it does not seem like they will stop anytime soon. How the media environment will continue to develop will depend on the ability of the users.  　Users in Japan have high abilities in this regard. As Mr. Kawakawi, chairman of NikoNiko Douga puts it, Japanese people are good with Internet and free people who are...

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What is multi-screen living?

　A talk show on “social media and multi-screen”. I was asked what exactly is multi-screen by moderator Dr. Nakamura. That is when I began to realize that different people have different notions of multi-screen.  　As I am a basic nomad, I move around my house and three offices when working. There are televisions and PC in each location. They exist as multi-screens. However, I only use one screen each time. I am empty-handed during movement.  　On the other hand, when my son is connecting the Internet to the television, he opens his PC...

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Participatory Pop Culture Policy

  For policies supporting pop culture, while manga, anime and games are fighting against government, there have been strong opinions that only the private sector has grown and that help should not be provided for the lousy ones. It is correct that only the private sector has grown.    Although Japan has built a variety of genres in pop culture in the Internet or mobile phones, they are all quite similar. From now on, I hope that each time a new media technology appears, Japan can make use of its comprehensive strength and create...

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The Rationale for Pop Culture Policy

 It has almost been 20 years since content has become one particular policy genre. The government has turned up the gear and launched Cool Japan and pop culture with top priority.  However, should one talk about pop culture policy, without hearing the content, there will often be arguments like “I don’t think this country does this!” Although manga, anime and games can be said to be popular overseas, it has reached at most to the level of “sub” culture yet and hence one will be replied with a cold gaze if it is used as a subject for discussion.   The...

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TV turning SMART

 Much attention is currently on high-definition television standards, with 4K (full high-definition) and 8K (Super Hi-Vision). High-definition models are also on display at CREATEC and InterBEE, standing matchless together with SMART TV.  I have been focusing on Smart TV. While the 4K and 8K technology is a technology to make things look beautiful, the Smart TV is a technology for convenience. Beauty or convenience? While it is ideal to achieve both, there are restrictions on available resources.   Terrestrial Digital Broadcasting...

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TV stations turning into offensive

　There was an article saying that YouTube is turning into a television. It is said that YouTube is adopting the following three measures: channel organization, video increase, and strengthening of advertisements. It has been nine years since YouTube started its services in 2005, and YouTube has been earnest in its efforts to become a PC-based media television. While this will increase competition in the television industry, cooperation is also likely to increase.  　This is inevitable. First starting as PC-based, tablets and smartphones have...

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My beloved light from Kolkata

 Kolkata, known as Calcutta in the past. Until 1911 when the capital was moved to Delhi, Kolkata functioned as the capital of India for a very long time. Being the most chaotic city in India, it exudes a mysterious energy.    I wandered into the dim market. The stench of meat, internal organs and skin of beasts. Fresh blood is flowing under my feet like a river. Herds of black and white goats are tied together. Many chickens...

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I learnt about MIT Lab again

I was once a member of MIT Media Lab, known as the mecca of digital technology since the 1980s. Former director of Media Lab, Frank Moss has authored a book titled, “MIT Media Lab”. It is a book deciphering the relationship between universities and the digital world today.  However, viewing from the conventional image of Media Lab, we can see considerable change in its form. Rather than focusing on media, Media Lab has been focused on robotic prosthetic leg, discovery of incurable diseases, city cars. Rather than media development, the organization...

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Brilliant students from Peking University viewing Japan

　I visited Peking University at a time when the political issue concerning Senkaku Islands was smoldering. I was asked to conduct three series lectures about media policies in Japan. The target audience was made up of 20 PhD students. Here are their questions and my quick answers.  ・What are methods to make the government release information to the public?    Institutions regulating the government, such as the Freedom of Information Act are basic methods that give the right to claim to the public. However, due to the movement of...

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At an Elementary School in Nepal

Situated at an elevation of 1330m, a city with 5 million people. The capital of Nepal,Kathmandu. It is a town where there are more gods than people. Overwhelming Islam, 80% of the people belong to Hinduism, a religion which flowed from India. Across the Himalayas, Buddhism from Tibet constitutes a 10%. Indigenous faiths are also mixed together, forming a very unique Newar culture. 36 different communities reside together.  The GDP per...

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The re-union of Internet and TV

　The Internet & TV, broadcasting & communications. The linkage process has begun in full. The IT and electronics exhibition, ‘CREATEC’, was in a single ‘Smart’ color. Various types of smart televisions can be seen there. Digital broadcasting has not only become more beautiful but also smarter. The combination of television and internet, together with television and smartphone has led to a more interesting and convenient lifestyle. This is no longer at a proposal stage, but a realistic service that is being offered today.   Not...

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I will do my best for open data.

　I want to expand the possibilities for big data. I want to make big data safe and convenient for the society. I want to stimulate the economy with big data.    This can be achieved through open data, a movement where governments and local governments, for a start, can start publishing public data for private sector use to give rise to a new information service.    I am currently participating as a Director in the “Open Data Distribution Promotion Consortium”. Different ministers who are not in good relationships such as the...

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The Possibilities of Big Data 2

　This is a continuation of big data. ‘Individual’ can be placed along with ‘infrastructure’. Not only limited to the business field, it is also possible for individuals to take advantage of collective wisdom.  Services that leverage on integrated content by collective knowledge, such as Cookpad, Kakaku.com, Weather News and others are getting more and more prevalent. Big data might expand Web 2.0 into unprecedented levels, into Web 3.0.  Based on my calculations, within the 10 years from 1995 to 2005 when digitization first started,...

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The Possibilities of Big Data 1

　Big data. By analyzing huge amount of information rapidly coming out every second with smartphone or sensor, one can create new values in various social and economic aspects such as in business, health care, crime prevention or urban design. Besides data such as weather, geography or road traffic, other information shared by people through social media, footages from security cameras and other data are increasingly being regarded as a mountain of treasure due to its explosive increase.   This is a buzz word, and also has increasing potential...

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Nation-wide use of ‘My Number’

　The introduction of tax and social security number, ‘My Number’, by the law “on the use of ID in identifying specifying specific individuals in administrating proceedings” have finally been established, with preparations currently underway.  However, there are many people who are afraid of this. Accordingly to governmental surveys, 46.9% chose “Depending on countries, citizens will be monitored with the national ID system”, 36.7% chose “By impersonating or forgery, personal information may be peeped or used illegally”, and 27% chose “Personal...

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Intellectual Property Strategy: Infrastructure Development and Overseas Expansion

　Content Policy of the Intellectual Property Division. Digitization and networking (infrastructure) and Cool Japan (overseas expansion) as the two pillars of advancement.  1 Digitization and Networking    Digitization and networking is in full swing for the 20th year, expanding business opportunities.    Over the past decade in particular, more attention has been placed into content, and with the amendment of the Copyright Act, various policies have been adopted in response to digitization. However, despite the explosive...

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Content to be converted

 Intellectual Property Division Content Specialist Committee. The committee bundles government policies on content and forms action plan, known as the “Intellectual Property Plan”. The division was formed 10 years ago, and I have been working as the chairman for five years, being involved in intellectual property planning.   Looking at the flow right now, while the world content market is expanding by 6% every year, the Japanese market is expected to shrink. On the other hand, based on my calculations, information dissemination...

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The founding of the Japan Social Game Association

　In November of 2011, the Japan Social Game Association(JASGA) was established. 　The market for social games is expanding at a very rapid pace. However, this has brought on a situation in which problems stemming from the usage of such games among the youth, as well as various anxieties and social problems are making themselves known. Due to this, we have started efforts to improve the situation through self-regulation. I am serving as the General...

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Moving towards loosening regulation

　Bureaucracy is a single word, but it is colored by a variety of different government offices. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) is the final authority in weighing the pros and cons and determining the budget for every other government office. It smilingly bends its ears to petitioners and ruthlessly collects head. METI is a band of hunters, opening new divisions lacking in any authority. They are a prosperous people with eternal venture spirit.  　I originally hail from the MIC, myself. The MIC managed the postal system, as well. Salesmen bowing...

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Anti-flaming strategy from the New Media Risk Association

 　With the rapid spread of social media and the evolution of devices such as smartphones, the risk of using the net has leapt upward precipitously. The frequency of flaming incidents is said to triple yearly. In addition to the fact that a message only needs an instant to spread across social networks, smartphones give anyone the power to easily contribute photos. These trends are poised to accelerate in the future.  　And employee snaps...

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The shock of seeing Korean Education go Digital

 　Digital textbooks. The government has put forth the goal of creating a “one person, one device” learning environment by the year 2020, and MIC and MEXT are cooperating on administering a pilot program in 20 elementary schools. Even so, Korea has done much better. Plans surrounding the implementation of digital textbooks are five years ahead of Japanese efforts, and the learning environment is built around the assumption that its students...

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A mantra for a Culture Ministry

　There is currently a debate about creating a Committee on Broadcasts and Transmissions, or “Japanese FCC.” The idea arose in the latter part of the 90s, and I resigned from the government in opposition. Afterwards, I have continued to voice my opposition as the debate continues to recur. This is because organizations like America’s FCC, France’s CSA, and the United Kingdom’s OFCOM, when viewed with a mind for the realities of Japan’s politics and political administration, pose the danger of encouraging an out of control bureaucracy. Establishing...

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Does IT have a role to play in revival?

 　March 11, 2011. A day which called for a change in IT policy. Very shortly after the earthquake, I saw that, rather than “recovery,” what was needed was a more long term “revival,” and that rather than reviving IT, it was important to direct our effort towards using IT as a tool in the larger revival. In line with this, I published three suggestions.  1. Plan to re-establish networks. The net played an active role post-disaster. The...

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Good going, Asia.

　Verdant paddies dotted with ponds, stretching out across the land, slowly crossed by oxen as they valiantly labor. Amidst the humidity which hangs over it all, rice is being cultivated. 　Upon entering the city of Hanoi, one sees... A playhouse built in imitation of Opera Garnier. A church which looks a bit like Notre Dame. Loud and incongruent houses in the western style. Vestiges of French rule can be seen all over. 　Youth gathered on the sidewalk,...

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The ubiquity of Machine to Machine

  　Recently, the term “M2M” has begun to be heard with fair frequency among the more digitally inclined. P2P, Peer to Peer that also actually means person to person, represents communication between individual people; conversely M2M stands for Machine to Machine, indicating a connection between two objects. In other words, glasses and clothing, desks and chairs, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners, cars and traffic lights, will all one day come...

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