Advances in Information and Communication Research – serie

This book provides a detailed description of Japan’s telecommunications policies. It discusses how Japan has addressed a variety of policy challenges ranging from traditional regulatory issues, such as the provision of a universal service, to the latest tasks, including the promotion of cutting-edge technologies.Japan is a global leader in information and communication technologies (ICT). In addition to technological advances, an impressive nationwide optical-fiber and advanced mobile network infrastructure has been developed, which has boosted the economy and benefited society.The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has played an important role in ICT deployment. Japan has a unique ICT policy framework that does not separate regulation and promotion, unlike many other countries, which have an independent regulator. However, since relatively little information has been provided in English, it has been difficult to learn much about Japan’s policies. Written by specialists from MIC, industry and academia, this is the first collaborative work to provide a comprehensive discussion of Japan’s ICT policies, allowing readers to gain an understanding of the topic.

This book provides a detailed description of Japan’s telecommunications policies. It discusses how Japan has addressed a variety of policy challenges ranging from traditional regulatory issues, such as the provision of a universal service, to the latest tasks, including the promotion of cutting-edge technologies.Japan is a global leader in information and communication technologies (ICT). In addition to technological advances, an impressive nationwide optical-fiber and advanced mobile network infrastructure has been developed, which has boosted the economy and benefited society.The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has played an important role in ICT deployment. Japan has a unique ICT policy framework that does not separate regulation and promotion, unlike many other countries, which have an independent regulator. However, since relatively little information has been provided in English, it has been difficult to learn much about Japan’s policies. Written by specialists from MIC, industry and academia, this is the first collaborative work to provide a comprehensive discussion of Japan’s ICT policies, allowing readers to gain an understanding of the topic.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of Japan’s media policies. In light of the attention Japanese media content has attracted in recent years, not only in Japan but also overseas, the book examines the media industry that supports such content. Beginning with the traditional terrestrial broadcasting industry, it also covers cable TV, satellite broadcasting, and over-the-top media services (OTT), as well as media policies for film, animation, games and music.The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), a key media industry regulator in Japan, has been developing broadcasting policies for more than 70 years, and while their traditional policies have not changed in principle, the scope of their business sphere has expanded. For instance, major broadcasting stations in Tokyo, known as key stations, have played an important role in filmmaking with the big four film companies, and have started joint ventures with major OTT, such as Hulu.This book allows readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the changes in the Japanese media industry in general and the related policies in Japan, while also offering insights into developments in the individual sectors.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of Japan’s media policies. In light of the attention Japanese media content has attracted in recent years, not only in Japan but also overseas, the book examines the media industry that supports such content. Beginning with the traditional terrestrial broadcasting industry, it also covers cable TV, satellite broadcasting, and over-the-top media services (OTT), as well as media policies for film, animation, games and music.The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), a key media industry regulator in Japan, has been developing broadcasting policies for more than 70 years, and while their traditional policies have not changed in principle, the scope of their business sphere has expanded. For instance, major broadcasting stations in Tokyo, known as key stations, have played an important role in filmmaking with the big four film companies, and have started joint ventures with major OTT, such as Hulu.This book allows readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the changes in the Japanese media industry in general and the related policies in Japan, while also offering insights into developments in the individual sectors.

This book presents current research on mobile Internet society. Past research was not able to show a clear analytical framework, thus was unable to close in on the fundamental changes in that society. This book, however, analyzes mobile Internet society by introducing the concept of “doubling of time and place” and the analytical framework of the “second offline.” The emergence of the smartphone has made Internet use easier, and now, people are constantly using online information in the midst of their daily lives. Our society is transitioning from the first offline society, a society without being connected to Internet, to the second offline society, where users are connected to the Internet at all times. In this second offline society, our sense of time and place are beginning to change. Broadcast and communication media have made possible the overlapping of different places, which has been called the doubling of place. Furthermore, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies have enabled the overlap of different times, which this book calls the doubling of time. The smartphone makes both possible. With the second offline and the doubling of time and place as keywords, the book takes into consideration research that includes, among other topics, the media usage of young adults, selfies, education, social media usage, mobile games, work stations, and consumer activity in the mobile Internet society.

This book presents current research on mobile Internet society. Past research was not able to show a clear analytical framework, thus was unable to close in on the fundamental changes in that society. This book, however, analyzes mobile Internet society by introducing the concept of “doubling of time and place” and the analytical framework of the “second offline.” The emergence of the smartphone has made Internet use easier, and now, people are constantly using online information in the midst of their daily lives. Our society is transitioning from the first offline society, a society without being connected to Internet, to the second offline society, where users are connected to the Internet at all times. In this second offline society, our sense of time and place are beginning to change. Broadcast and communication media have made possible the overlapping of different places, which has been called the doubling of place. Furthermore, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies have enabled the overlap of different times, which this book calls the doubling of time. The smartphone makes both possible. With the second offline and the doubling of time and place as keywords, the book takes into consideration research that includes, among other topics, the media usage of young adults, selfies, education, social media usage, mobile games, work stations, and consumer activity in the mobile Internet society.

This book shows how telecom, broadcast, and Internet researchers as well as experts from Japan's leading mobile operators interpret, analyze, and evaluate the emerging phenomenon of the Japanese broadband ecosystem. The broadband ecosystem, as it rapidly changes against the backdrop of swift technological progress, is forcing major changes in the existing socioeconomic framework and generating many policy issues that require discussion.The book aims to provide a theoretical and practical framework for policymakers to address these issues from a broader perspective than has been available in the past. The topics addressed in this book cover sharing of 5G infrastructure, online platform regulation, diffusion of autonomous driving, content industry, trends and use cases of 5G, capacity development for AI, ride-hailing service, smartphone games, the right to be forgotten, and the economic value of personal information.Although this book cannot provide definitive answers toall these recently emerging and rapidly changing issues, it does provide important guidance for evidence-based discussion involving policymakers and researchers working on these issues. It is also recommended for graduate students who want to enter this challenging field of policy discussion.

This book shows how telecom, broadcast, and Internet researchers as well as experts from Japan's leading mobile operators interpret, analyze, and evaluate the emerging phenomenon of the Japanese broadband ecosystem. The broadband ecosystem, as it rapidly changes against the backdrop of swift technological progress, is forcing major changes in the existing socioeconomic framework and generating many policy issues that require discussion.The book aims to provide a theoretical and practical framework for policymakers to address these issues from a broader perspective than has been available in the past. The topics addressed in this book cover sharing of 5G infrastructure, online platform regulation, diffusion of autonomous driving, content industry, trends and use cases of 5G, capacity development for AI, ride-hailing service, smartphone games, the right to be forgotten, and the economic value of personal information.Although this book cannot provide definitive answers toall these recently emerging and rapidly changing issues, it does provide important guidance for evidence-based discussion involving policymakers and researchers working on these issues. It is also recommended for graduate students who want to enter this challenging field of policy discussion.

This book provides an analysis of the various challenges and opportunities facing the Japanese broadcasting industry. It is the first book in English that explores how Japanese broadcasting, especially commercial broadcasting, fulfills its social mission under the threat of the increased popularity of Internet-based media services as it reexamines the role and nature of broadcasting. During a series of disasters and the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan, while varied media connected people and supported socio-economic activities, broadcasting continued to be the most trusted. However, as Internet media attract increasing attention, the trend in broadcast viewership is downward. Commercial broadcasting, in particular, will be strongly affected by that trend and the impact of the shrinking population. Recognizing that such dramatic technological and environmental changes are under way, in addition to the eleven researchers participating in the visiting researcher committee at the Research Institute of the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association (JBA), four research collaborators and the secretariat (director of the JBA) have contributed to this book. They have taken up issues related to challenges and opportunities for the broadcasting industry based on their respective areas of awareness of the problems, including policies for broadcasting, fake news, disaster responses, viewer trust in television programs, competition with Internet-based services, and the business model for broadcasting.

This book provides an analysis of the various challenges and opportunities facing the Japanese broadcasting industry. It is the first book in English that explores how Japanese broadcasting, especially commercial broadcasting, fulfills its social mission under the threat of the increased popularity of Internet-based media services as it reexamines the role and nature of broadcasting. During a series of disasters and the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan, while varied media connected people and supported socio-economic activities, broadcasting continued to be the most trusted. However, as Internet media attract increasing attention, the trend in broadcast viewership is downward. Commercial broadcasting, in particular, will be strongly affected by that trend and the impact of the shrinking population. Recognizing that such dramatic technological and environmental changes are under way, in addition to the eleven researchers participating in the visiting researcher committee at the Research Institute of the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association (JBA), four research collaborators and the secretariat (director of the JBA) have contributed to this book. They have taken up issues related to challenges and opportunities for the broadcasting industry based on their respective areas of awareness of the problems, including policies for broadcasting, fake news, disaster responses, viewer trust in television programs, competition with Internet-based services, and the business model for broadcasting.

This book covers the use of digital technologies to improve human health and wellbeing. Included are policy trends in Japan, innovative examples, and recommendations for future directions, providing references not only for Japan but for other countries as well.In Japan, digital technologies have been introduced in health and wellbeing services over the past 20 years. These technologies have expanded the scope of healthcare from simply treating illness to promoting health and preventing disease.Early adopters, both providers and recipients of the digitally enabled services, have reaped the advantages of their introduction; however, these technologies have not yet been adopted by the country as a whole. For that reason, and especially with the decline in the working-age population, the government has adopted measures to promote and facilitate the use of digital technologies for health and wellbeing. Those and other steps are being taken to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of health and wellbeing services.This book introduces the current status of the use of digital technologies to promote the health and wellness of recipients. It also explains the improvement of healthcare institutions using digital data as evidence. Additionally, for comparison, the book shows trends in international standardization activities.

This volume investigates the reinforcement of policies designed to cultivate a digital society in Japan. Through the collaboration of the authors, the book identifies critical impediments to this progression, encompassing existing legal frameworks pertaining to information and the administrative processes associated with digitalization. A prevalent institutional inclination towards preserving existing analog operational modalities further exacerbates these challenges, complicating systemic unification and the assurance of interoperability. Japan confronts a notable deferral in its digital transformation relative to other nations exhibiting accelerated technological integration. Societal reluctance to this technology is frequently linked to anxieties regarding information breaches and privacy infringements concomitant with digitalization, alongside apprehensions about intensified governmental surveillance and control, thereby impeding the societal assimilation of novel technologies. However, the specific extent to which these citizen perspectives contribute to the deceleration of digitalization has yet to be subjected to comprehensive empirical scrutiny.This book elucidates the contemporary condition and inherent challenges of digitalization within Japan, concentrating predominantly on the political and administrative domains. Through this analysis, the book substantively deepens the comprehension of the dynamics governing the acceptance and proliferation of digital technology within Japanese society, thereby offering recommendations for the formulation of more efficacious public policy.

This book focuses on the economic aspects of cloud computing, a critical ICT infrastructure in our digital age. The market for cloud computing is rapidly expanding and changing the nature of business in all industries. This book estimates and analyzes the impact of the diffusion of cloud computing on the Japanese macroeconomy, employing model-based simulations.Cloud computing services are being provided not only as simple data storage services but also as various value-added services. The market has shifted to an oligopoly, with a limited number of big-name global firms as the main players. This book quantitatively estimates the impact of this shift on Japan’s utility-based social welfare.The book also discusses public policy measures that can enhance free competition in a cloud computing market with oligopolistic characteristics. One aim of this book is to provide policymakers and researchers with fundamental data and an analytic approach that can be used to formulate public policy around cloud computing in terms of both regulation and market promotion.