Japan Science and Technology Agency to develop new network

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

From: 
 Dr. David K. Kahaner
 US Office of Naval Research Asia
 (From outside US):  23-17, 7-chome, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106 Japan
 (From within  US):  Unit 45002, APO AP 96337-0007
  Tel: +81 3 3401-8924, Fax: +81 3 3403-9670
  Email: kahaner () cs titech ac jp
Re: Science and Technology Agency to develop new network
7 Oct 1993
This file is named "sta-net.93"


ABSTRACT. Plans, by the Science and Technology Agency (STA), to develop a 
new, 6Mbps optical fiber electronic network connecting about 100 major 
governmental research laboratories under various ministries and agencies, 
at a cost of 4-5 billion yen (US$40 - 50 million) over three years.  


The following material was prepared by the Tokyo Office of the US
National Science Foundation. Many thanks to the Director, Dr. L.Weber,
and Mr. M.Miyahara, Scientific Affairs Advisor.


     STA TO DEVELOP AN INTER-AGENCY RESEARCH INFORMATION NETWORK




INTRODUCTION


Japan's Science and Technology Agency (STA) has proposed development of a 
high speed "inter-agency information network" connecting about 100 major 
governmental research laboratories under various ministries and agencies.  
The proposed initiative calls for funding of 4-5 billion yen (US$40 - 50 
million) over three years to implement a 6 megabits per second (Mbps) 
backbone network based on optical fiber networks transacting the nation 
from north to south for electronic communications, file transfers, 
accessing databases and for remotely sharing supercomputers and other 
computer-based resources available in the national research institutes.  


The proposed inter-agency network would also be connected at three points 
(Tokyo, Osaka and Tsukuba) with the existing Science Information Network 
(SINET) of the National Center for Science Information Systems (NACSIS) 
of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, thereby enabling 
direct electronic exchanges between university scientists and researchers 
in government labs.  Moreover, plans include eventually connecting the 
new inter-agency network to NSFNET or other backbone networks in the 
United States, as well as with research networks in other foreign
countries. [See earlier reports of mine on networking in Japan, for
example, "japan.net", 16 July 1992. For discussion of NTT, see
"ntt-rev.93", 23 Feb 1993, "ntt-r-d.993", 19 Sep 1993, or "isr.93", 8
Sep 1993, DKK.]


The new initiative is being promoted in Japan for the following reasons: 


     1.  The rapid advance of science and technology and greater emphasis 
     on basic research calls for increased interaction and closer 
     cooperation of researchers across inter-disciplinary, inter-agency, 
     inter-institutional and inter-national boundaries.  


     2.  Greatly enhanced computer capabilities have increased the 
     potential roles for computers in R&D activities and the need for 
     researchers to have better access to computers and database 
     resources.  


     3.  The long-standing international imbalance in the flow of 
     information in science and technology between Japan and other 
     countries calls for efficient and effective networks for information 
     exchange.  


STA has included about 1.1 billion yen (about US$10 million) in its 
fiscal 1994 budget proposal to cover the first year's expenditure of the 
3-year project.  




EVENTS IN RETROSPECT


In June 1992, the Management and Coordination Agency of the Prime 
Minister's Office issued a report pointing out that much of the research 
data and information accumulated in government laboratories had been 
confined within the individual laboratories or institutes concerned and 
was not accessible by researchers from outside organizations.  The report 
recommended that steps be taken to develop an inter-agency research 
information network to promote efficient and effective communications and 
exchanges of data among scientists across traditional inter-agency, 
inter-sectorial and inter-national boundaries.  


In November 1992, an STA survey found that 80% of researchers in 
government laboratories think that it is crucial for the government to 
develop the basic infrastructure for efficient data communications and 
greater access to computers and other computer-based resources throughout 
the government laboratories.  


In June 1993, a 10-member study mission representing the following 
agencies was sent to the United States:  


     Science and Technology Information Division, Science and     
       Technology Agency (STA) 
     Science Information Division, Ministry of Education, Science and 
       Culture (Monbusho) 
     National Center for Science Information Systems (NACSIS) 
     Electronics Industry Division, Ministry of nternational Trade 
       and Industry (MITI)
     Technology Research Division, Agency of Industrial Science and 
       Technology (AIST), MITI 
     Electrotechnical Laboratory, AIST/MITI
     Technology Policy Division, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications 
       (MPT) 
     Communications Laboratory, MPT
     Japan Information Center of Science and Technology (JICST)
     Institute for Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN)


The study mission called on NSF, OSTP, Sprint-Net, NIH, NLM, NASA, IBM 
Watson Labs, and AT&T Bell Labs to learn first-hand about various network 
systems and projects in the United States and about how various U.S. 
agencies and the private sector are cooperating to develop advanced 
research networks in the United States and for connection with foreign 
countries.  


Also in June 1993, the Prime Minister's Council for Science and 
Technology, the highest advisory body of the government for S&T policy 
formulation, established a subcommittee on "research information 
networks," with the following individuals appointed as members: 


     Dr. Wataru Mori       Member, Prime Minister's Council for Science 
                           and Technology (Former president of the 
                           University of Tokyo)


     Mr. Hiroyuki Osawa    Member, Prime Minister's Council for Science 
                           and Technology (Former Vice Minister, Science 
                           and Technology Agency) 


     Dr. Hiroshi Inose     Director, National Center for Science 
                           Information Systems (NACSIS) 


     Mr. Takeo Miura       Vice President, Hitachi Ltd.


     Mr. Junichiro Miyazu  Vice President, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone 
                           Co.(NTT) 


The subcommittee has met three times to hear the views of experts and 
representatives of concerned organizations.  Officials of 13 different 
government ministries and agencies concerned with network issues are also 
invited to the subcommittee's meetings.  The subcommittee, which is 
currently drafting an interim report, is expected to ultimately call for 
prompt action by the government to develop inter-agency research 
information networks and associated databases.  


In view of the subcommittee's discussions to date, and researchers' 
responses to its survey, STA has gone ahead with an FY1994 budget request 
of 1.1 billion yen as part of the so-called "Special Coordination Funds 
for the Promotion of Science and Technology" for the specific purpose of 
building an inter-agency backbone information network in Japan.  The 
proposed budget is, of course, subject to approval by the Finance 
Ministry and by the National Diet.  








OUTLINE OF THE NETWORK INITIATIVE


If approved, STA will implement an inter-agency backbone information 
network of up to 6 Mbps to inter-connect about 100 major government 
research laboratories in the country with optical fiber networks to be 
leased from commercial vendors such as NTT.  STA intends to develop an 
interagency network very similar in function to the "Interagency Interim 
NREN" (rather than the more advanced "Gigabit R&D Network") in the United 
States.  In addition, STA will support, over a period of five years, the 
development of integrated databases of basic and factual research data 
for access through the inter-agency network.  While details of the new 
network initiative will only be decided after formal approval of the fund 
allocation in June or July 1994, it is expected that the following 
elements/plans will be included: 


(1)  Development of Inter-agency Research Information Network:


During the first year, a backbone research information network of 6 Mbps 
will be established between Tsukuba Science City and Tokyo. Optical fiber 
networks leased from commercial vendors (such as NTT) will be utilized 
for database services, electronic mail, electronic bulletin board 
services and remote use of computer centers.  In ensuing years, the 
network will be extended to the Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto) and other geographic 
areas.   The backbone network will be inter-connected at Tsukuba, Tokyo 
and Osaka with the existing Science Information Network (SINET) of the 
National Center for Science Information Systems (NACSIS), an inter-
university institute under the Ministry of Education, Science and 
Culture. The link to SINET will interconnect the system with nearly 200 
universities and other academic research institutes in Japan.  


All costs for leasing and maintaining the optical network will be 
financed under the project for the first 3 years, so that no fees would 
be charged for use of the backbone network by any government laboratories 
or their researchers.  It is anticipated that necessary government funds 
will be secured under regular budget categories to support the network 
beyond the initial 3-year period.  


Although the national backbone research information network will be 
designed primarily for use by researchers in government laboratories, STA 
is also considering its use by university scientists (via SINET) and by 
researchers in the private sector wanting to communicate with government 
researchers or gain access to databases and other computer-based 
resources available in government institutes and universities.  
Naturally, any use of databases and other computer-based resources would 
be guided by the rules and regulations established for each database or 
computer center concerned.          


(2)  International Connection:


STA plans to send a mission to the United States early in the first 
project year (FY 1994) to seek assistance from NSF and other US 
government agencies to connect the new Japanese network with NREN or 
NSFNET in the United States, and with networks in other foreign 
countries.  


(3)  Development of Network Tools:


As part of the network development initiative, support will be provided 
for developing user-friendly "tools" (software) for network applications, 
as well as for conducting special studies on the status and prospects of 
network application technologies, including those for video and multi-
media database services.  


(4)  Database Development:


Along with the development of the backbone inter-agency network, support 
will be provided, over a period of five years, for the development of 
various integrated databases on basic and factual research data, such as 
data on food composition, effects of chemical substances on human health, 
physical spectral data, and so forth.  




RELATIONSHIP TO THE "MANDALA PROJECT"


The STA initiative to develop an inter-agency research network is not 
related to the so-called "Mandala Project."  The "Mandala Project," 
promoted by a group of individuals from private companies, universities 
and local governments, and a few members of the National Diet, aims to 
develop 10 new supercomputing centers all over Japan which would be 
inter-connected not only to one another but also to other major computer 
centers in universities, government labs and industrial R&D centers via 
optical fiber networks for open use by scientists from all sectors.  STA 
has no plan to support establishment of any new supercomputer centers as 
part of their network initiative, nor to provide any financial support to 
the Mandala Project, at this time. [See also my report, "sc-new.93", 26
May 1993, DKK.]


FURTHER INFORMATION


Questions concerning this inter-agency research information network 
initiative may be directed to the NSF Tokyo Office or to STA's Science 
and Technology Information Division.