An interesting perspective

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

X-ListName: Discussion about Japan's Electronic Frontier <efj () twics com>
Date: Fri, 27 May 1994 13:14:10 -0600
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: efj () twics com
From: tlogan () lanl gov (Thomas P. Logan)
Reply-To: efj () twics com
Subject: "lets move on" & "minjorin"




        Well, now that the dust has settled, fastidious apologies to all for
having the nerve recently to bring up such a non-germaine topic as foreign
(particularly U.S. firms') participation in the formulation of Japan's info.
highway. It's clear through the discussion of many that this topic had
little to do with the issue of "internationalization" or "globalization" of
Japan's domestic NII.  But, as not a few would appreciate, the essence of
"kokusaika" (internationalization) often is not so much an introduction of
foreign elements (people/business interests/controlling capital/buyouts)
into Japan as it is observed to mean a deeper familiarization of, relation
to and injection into structures, events, and technological agendae outside
of Japan on Japan's own beneficial terms...But, that's a Nation-State's
perogative I 'spose...


        Simply speaking, I reasoned that since some net users are either
with the US gov. or U.S. private industry that they may have wanted to
access more nuts and bolts information re: the "procurement windows" of
Ministry of Posts/Telecommunication (MPT) such as AT&T Japan is attempting,
perhaps coordinating information and ways into the Japanese system and
perhaps effect a little more reciprocity for a change. Access and
participation by U.S. firms in the "benkyo kai" (study groups), adhoc and/or
informal gatherings, etc. and particularly at this even infant, informal
stage [which usually turns out in retrospect to be the ground floor in the
long-term arketing sense for such major projects in Japan], is merely
propositioned. To wit, as a theoretical proposition, would Minjorin accept
observer or perhaps observer status by a U.S. telecom/info tech firm or the
FCS (US Embassy Tokyo)? These questions and strategies dovetail precisely I
thought, into the related discussion of Internet for Japan and the
"internationalizing" effect that would have to break down barriers that
still exist. Guess not.


 The "Sentaku" article contact info. was posted over to Toshio Takagi. As an
update for he and others, it appears this is a subscription-basis (not
off-the -stands) magazine. It would however be nice to input it in English
into efj. I found particularly interesting the mention of pronounced and
apparantly urgent multiple lobbying attempts by MPT reps stateside (probably
the Japanese Embassy) to attempt to access thru VP Gore's science office a
proactive role for Japanese firms in the U.S. NII development. Dovetail's
back to the Minjorin question and reciprocity/"internationalization." Well,
let's push the envelope and test the system...Also a (negative)concern in
the article was of the recently passed S.Bill 1 (Hollings Bill) on U.S. NII....


In response to one posting, I would say, "let's not break out the champagne
and "nihon shu" quite yet on the US/Japan trade framework deal." The
unfortunate word today is that even with the ink still drying from two days
ago, (to begin talking again) a substantial disagreement and rift is again
developing between Kantor and Hata on starkly different interpretations of
wording and what was actually promised (precisely what fouled up the talks
and nebulous agreements last year)..Boy is this like a bad dream over and
over and over.


> From my brief 12 recent years up to last month of in living in Tokyo,
working mostly in business, I tend to side with people like Hitotsubashi U.
economist Iwao Nakatani, who know the "system" as good if not better than
anybody else, who in the "Nikkei" castigated Prime Minister Hata for not
placing numerical targets  re: consumer price reductions in the Price
Stability Policy Council, by saying "The ministries will never tackle the
problem seriously (without targets.)


...I'm a newcomer, so O.K., "let's move on..." as many feel.   Happy U.S.
holidays to all here, and a good weekend in Japan and elsewhere...


[Private opinions above are expressed.]




Tom Logan
CNSS-LANL
(505) 665-6110
27 May 1994