The Consumer Affairs Agency's digital debate begins

 ■ The Consumer Affairs Agency's digital debate begins A study group on how consumers respond to digitalization. We've been in contact with the Consumer Affairs Agency in terms of measures for youth to use the internet, games with gacha mechanics, and e-sports regulations, but this was my first time participating in the conference. I acted as vice chairperson.  It is meaningful to think about the relationship between digital and consumers at this time. After 20 years of digitalization and 10 years of smart tech, the next big wave...

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Smart City CiP, a whole picture

 ■ Smart City CiP, a whole picture At KYOTO SMART CITY EXPO, we made a presentation about the smart city of Pop Tech CiP Smart City. It's a content innovation program concept that creates a base for digital and content integration in Tokyo, Minato-ku, Takeshiba, and the Bay Area.  CiP is a cool Japan bridgehead opening in the city just before the 2020 Olympics. It gathers cutting edge content, IT, IoT and AI to create a digital test-bed. The area is accredited as a National Strategic Special Zone and will introduce deregulation like...

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Can Japan stand as a forerunner in educational informatization?

 ■ Can Japan stand as a forerunner in educational informatization? This is the sequel to the symposium commemorating the establishment of the "Educational Information Promotion Law".  The sponsored Higher Education Association has 31 organizations participating and 8000 companies under its umbrella. Mr. Ishido gave a report on the WG team for AI, cloud, copyright, blockchain, VR, and programming, and explained the WG that thinks about ideal schooling beyond the boundaries of high school and university.  In the discussion, in addition...

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Significance and issues of the Educational Information Technology Promotion Act

■Significance and issues of the Educational Information Technology Promotion Act A symposium commemorating the enactment of the Educational Information Promotion Act was held in Akasaka, Tokyo. The significance and issues of the law passed in the Diet will be discussed at the round-table of government, industry, and academia.  In 2018, "digital textbooks" were institutionalized due to revisions such as the School Education Act submitted by the government. This law is another engine in which the computerization of school education has greatly...

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5G X content. Is Korea the future?

 ■ 5G X content. Is Korea the future? The day before Verizon America's service launched, three Korean telecommunications carriers (SK Telecom, KT and lg U+) launched 5G services. These companies have the tenacity to go for World Firsts. Japan started a year later, so for Japan, Korea is the future. What kind of content does 5G produce? Is there anything Japan and Korea can do together? We held a symposium to discuss this.  It was called the "Korea-Japan Content Business Forum" @ Yotsuya. The organizers were the KOCCA Institute...

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A New Stage of Intellectual Property Strategy Begins

 ■ A New Stage of Intellectual Property Strategy Begins 　A Concept Committee has been formed at the Government and Intellectual Property Headquarters, in which I will be participating as a committee member. In my 10 years as chairman of IP committee deliberations, I have refrained from expressing my own opinion whenever possible. The following are my notes on what has been said as the new stage has begun.   On Public Deliberations 　At the outset, the chairman announced that in principle the deliberations would be open to the...

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10 Years Since I Began Wearing Kimono

 ■10 Years Since I Began Wearing Kimono It has been 10 years since I became a man who wears a kimono. At the government’s Cool Japan conference, when the discussions turned to fashion, it was mentioned to me, “Everyone just wears suits no matter what we say,” and it hit me, “Why not change this?” and it began my transformation away from the typical suit and bow tie. As a man who wears kimono, NHK asked me to appear in “Kimono Men.” I figured it would be full of Kabuki actors or masters of traditional Japanese arts like tea ceremonies...

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Why is the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Charge of Broadcasting Administration?

■Why is the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Charge of Broadcasting Administration? The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is going through turbulent times. It was formed 20 years ago during a restructuring of ministries and agencies through a merger of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Management and Coordination Agency. It is evident that having communications and broadcasting together under one umbrella with the post office is a problem, which also begs the question...

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Government Bureaucrats—Speak Up!

 ■Government Bureaucrats—Speak Up! Nowadays, within both the committees and study groups of the government, the bureau directors communicate with committee members at the government offices. When I was in the government, that was assistant section director’s job. Assistant, section director, deputy director, bureau director—it seems like positions within government offices have dropped in rank by three levels in comparison to the private sector or positions within the private sector have risen three levels. When political initiative and...

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