Japanese network plans--background paper

[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 & Technology Agency Network plans, background.
05/31/94 (MM/DD/YY)
This file is named "sta-net.94"


ABSTRACT. Background on the Science and Technology Agency's plans for a
research information network.


In an earlier report, "sta-net.93", 7 Oct 1993, I described 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
report, from material provided by STA, describes the background issues
that led to those plans.


Readers should be aware that inter-ministerial "discussion" on
networking in Japan is very active, and it is not clear to me if this
has really converged into a national plan. Thus the descriptions below
should be understood in that context.


These are policy documents, they could easily be condensed, and there is
significant redundancy. Nevertheless they provide an interesting insight
into the background leading to STA's decision.




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Improvement of Interdisciplinary Research Information Network


 1. In recent research and development, the importance of research
transcending the frameworks of government ministries and agencies,
research disciplines and nations is mounting. Research and development
is expected to leap to higher levels if networks among research organs
are improved to allow the real-time transfer of image information and
files, etc., and joint use of computers. The networks among research
organs are well developed in the United States and Europe. In the United
States, in particular, high-speed (45Mbps) networks already link
research institutes. To further strengthen international
competitiveness, the United States has just kicked off an NREN project
to build up super high-speed networks (several hundreds of mega - giga
level), as part of the High Performance Computing and Communications
project to develop an information infrastructure. Various Asian nations
are also tackling this issue enthusiastically.


 2. Meanwhile, in Japan, the research information infrastructure is
insufficient (local area network (LAN), computer equipment, etc.).
Networks linking research organs have only low speed (64Kbps - 512Kbps:
1/100th or less than that of the United States). As a result,
information distribution and the mutual use of computers are stagnant
not only among domestic research organs but also among Japanese and
overseas institutes. This is causing mounting dissatisfaction both in
Japan and abroad.


 3. It is also necessary to distribute satisfactory data through the
networks. However, various data pertaining to the research achievements
of each organ are not duly classified or integrated and standardization
has not progressed. As a result, the comprehensive and effective
utilization of data is hampered and this is blocking efficient research
and development activities. The Management and Coordination Agency
recommended in June 1992 to improve the data on-line distribution system
at national research institutes, national universities, etc. The
recommendation followed an administrative inspection on science and
technology.


 4. Many researchers are also keenly interested in an improvement in the
trunk network (to be used for data and image exchange, data base
utilization, guidance on research situations, etc) jointly by various
government ministries and agencies.  (From a survey of research
information networks carried out in November 1992 on about 16 organs,
including national research institutes.)


 5. The supplementary budget for fiscal 1993 allows various national
research institutes and universities to have supercomputers and the LAN
system. From now, the ministries and agencies must build up networks
beyond their boundaries.  The government has just decided to improve the
infrastructure for research information distribution as a major policy
for the promotion of science and technology in fiscal 1994.


 6. The following developments have been made in connection with this
task in a tie-up of government ministries and agencies.


 a) The Science and Technology Agency, Education Ministry, Ministry of
International Trade and Industry and Posts and the Telecommunications
Ministry jointly inspected the advanced U.S. situation in June this year
(1993) to improve Japan's research information networks in the future.


 b) Officials related to networks and various ministries and agencies
are tackling this issue at consultation meetings on research information
networks.  The holding of the meetings was decided on July 22, 1993 by
the Science and Technology Council Policy Committee. An interim report
(attached below) was compiled on Oct. 28, 1993.


 c) The Science and Technology Agency is asking for 1.1 billion Yen in
state budget for fiscal 1994 to finance the building of inter-ministry
and agency research information networks to link the research organs of
various ministries and agencies. (The agency plans to ask for 4 billion
to 5 billion Yen in a three-year project.)


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Improvement of Research Information Network & Basis and Infrastructure Data


 BACKGROUNDS


 - Upgrading of science and technology activities
 - Emphasis on basic research activities


 Leads To
 * Joint research activities,
 * Interdisciplinary research activities,
 * Real-time exchange of research information beyond the frameworks of
   research organs, government ministries and agencies and nations and
   beyond the boundaries of research fields are important.


 1) The importance of computers at research spots further increases as
    computers are upgraded and down-sizing, become more widespread, etc.


 2) Dissatisfaction mounts abroad over imbalance of information
    distribution.


 NECESSITY


 The building of an infrastructure for information distribution among
researchers in wide-ranging fields and beyond the boundaries of
organizations is an immediate task.


 - Improvement of research information networks
 - Improvement of basic and infrastructure data


 This is expected to lead to the distribution of research information,
joint research and the dissemination of research achievements both in
Japan and abroad.


 POLICY OUTLINE


 System to provide research information and to promote inter-ministry
networks (1.1 billion Yen: science and technology promotion coordination
fund for 1994)


 (1) Setting up of inter-ministry research information networks and
promotion of high-level utilization of the networks To build up and
operate inter-ministry research information networks in a tie-up of
related ministries and agencies and to carry out, at the same time,
study and research to improve the networks (research on technology to
enable user-friendly operation, etc.)


 (2) Compiling basic and infrastructure data into a data base.  This
action will create a comprehensive and systematic data base of basic and
infrastructure data in cooperation with numerous organs and promote
distribution through networks.


 (Examples of data bases)
 - Food ingredients data base
 - Data base on effects on the biomatter of chemical substances
 - Material structure spectrum data base
 - Earth environment data
 - Disaster prevention data


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Initial Policy of Improving Japan's Research Information Network
(Interim Report), Oct 28, 1993,
Science and Technology Council Policy Committee,
Adhoc Committee on Research Information Network




 1. The need to improve the research an development infrastructure, such
a networks and data bases, to promote research information distribution
was confirmed in the No. 18 report of the Science and Technology Council
(January 1992), the Science and Technology Policy Outline (Cabinet
decision in April 1992), the administrative inspection of science and
technology conducted by the Management and Coordination Agency (June
1992) and the policy guideline for the promotion of science and
technology for fiscal 1994 (June 1993). With the usage of the
supplementary budget for fiscal 1993, etc., the information distribution
infrastructure, such as computers and the LAN system at universities,
national experiment and research organs, etc., has begun to be largely
improved.


 2. Under these circumstances, the Science and Technology Council Policy
Committee decided in July this year (1993) to hold Adhoc Committee on
research information network. At the meetings since, studies have been
carried out on the current situation and future goals of Japan's
research information network with the aim of promoting research
information distribution and joint use of computer resources among
research organs both in Japan and abroad.


 3. As a result of discussions held so far, this Committee recognizes
the current situation as follows.


 1) With the recent development of technology for information processing
and electric communications, the utilization of electronic media, in
addition to printed matter, as a means of research information
distribution ha rapidly progressed. The need for research information
networks has rapidly increased at research spots in various countries
with the upgrading of research and development and the progress of
interdisciplinary research and development. Now researchers cannot do
without such networks.


 2) In Japan, some research institutes, which have actively promoted
interdisciplinary researches or accepted many researchers from abroad,
are actively using the networks, while these networks are yet generally
widespread enough in general. They have not yet received due spotlight
on the policy level.


 3) In Japan today, some government ministries and agencies (Education
Ministry, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of
International Trade and Industry, etc) have research information
networks. There also exist multiple networks operated voluntarily by
researchers. However, the maximum circuit speed is 0.5Mbps and this is
about 1/100th of the speed in the United States. There is not
satisfactory research information network to mutually link research
organs of various government ministries and agencies, etc. As a result,
distribution of diversified information among research organs has not
duly progressed. Japan is said to be five to ten years behind the United
States now in this regard. There is also a shortage of network operating
engineers and researchers are overloaded.


 4) The delay in the establishment of research information networks in
Japan is hampering smooth and high-level distribution of research
information both inside Japan and with overseas countries. Researchers
and other related people in Japan are strongly asking for comprehensive
promotion of building up such networks. The government should quickly
cope with the request. There also is strong demand from abroad for
access to Japan's research data and research achievements through such a
network.


 4. Based on the above situation, this Committee considers it adequate
to promote the project of building Japan's research information networks
with the following ideas. This is also set to continue to study how the
research information networks should be established in medium and long
terms.


 Note
 1. There is a need to immediately construct a interministerial research
information network to link research organs beyond the bounds of
research fields and frameworks of government offices and nations. There
is also a need to improve, expand and speed up the research information
networks of various research institutes and government offices. In
promoting these missions, mutual coordination, tie-up and cooperation
are indispensable. In addition, there is a need to improve the quality
of information equipment, etc., to be used in the networks.


 2. It is important for various government ministries and agencies as
well as other related officials to tie-up and cooperate in improving and
operating new research information networks in fair, neutral, flexible
and stable manners on the basis of purposes, actual situations, etc., of
existing research information networks. It is also necessary to quickly
cope with the needs of users, rapid technology reform, etc., and to pay
attention to avoid the generation of gaps among regions in information
distribution.


 3. It is necessary to develop basic technology for using the networks,
including the improvement of convenience, security management, etc., and
to promote the research on network usage in various fields in order to
promote and upgrade the usage of research information networks. It is
also required to study and discuss future contribution by users.
Furthermore, it is needed to take into research information networks
achievements of hardware and software technology development pertaining
to future ultra high-speed networks.


 4. In addition to improving research information networks, it is also
necessary to promote introduction into data bases, research data,
documents, etc., to be distributed through the networks. This would
contribute to the active transmission and comprehensive usage of
research information held by various research institutes.


 5. For adequate and active usage of research information networks, it
is indispensable for every researcher to maintain due moral standards.
It is necessary to provide due manuals and to hold study meetings for
people related to network management, etc., in order to ensure security.
It is also indispensable to obtain expert staff for network operation
and to train personnel.


 6. It is indispensable to cooperate with overseas countries by linking
domestic research information networks to organs abroad, distributing
information abroad, making research cooperation, etc. Through these
efforts, Japan must fulfill her international responsibility in the
aspect of information distribution, too.


 7. In improving research information networks, researchers throughout
the world must take adequate and timely steps with a goal of freely
distributing their research resources basically on non-profit basis,
regardless of which institutes they belong to.


 Members of Adhoc Committee on Research Information Network of Science
and Technology Council Policy Committee


 Wataru Mori: Permanent member of Science and Technology Council
 Hiroyuki Ohsawa: Permanent member of Science and Technology Council
 Hiroshi Inose: Director General, Science Information Center of
    Education Ministry
 Takeo Miura: Vice president, Hitachi, Ltd.
 Junichiro Miyazu: Vice president, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.


-----------------------------END OF REPORT--------------------------