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Challenges for
Community Networking in Japan
November 2000
Izumi Aizu<[email protected]>
Asia Network ResearchInstitute for HyperNetwork Society
GLOCOM
History• 85 - 90: BBS era
– Text communication with Computer Conferencing
• 90 - 93 Pre-Internet era– quest for “multimedia”
• 94 - 98 Internet as the key driver• 99 - “Dotcom” and IT Revolution as
buzzword
History (2)•First CN in Japan started around 1985
COARA: May 1959
30 local people, PC network
‘database’ by local SMEs
Soon found the value in 2-way communication
•Glass-roots from the citizens
Characteristics• Serious concern against centralization
– Tokyo Metropolitan Area dominates everything
• Local government/industry key driver
• Less from citizens grass-roots participation
• Academia plays little role
Trends1. Access
1. Broadband: xDSL, CATV2. Fiber through sewage3. Wireless
2. E-Goverment1. Local administration2. National government
3. Contents & Services1. E-commerce
4. IX, Data center, ASP1. E-shop, e-commerce
CAN Forum www.can.or.jp
• CAN: Community Area Network
• Led by Prof. Shumpei Kumon– Yes, we CAN– 3rd phase of modernization
• Information revolution as Netizen revolution• Age of Intelprise has come
IT policy by Local governments (99)
• All 47 prefectures has IT Plan
• 698 (21.5%) municipalities has IT Plan
• 2,672 municipalities has Homepages
• 21 own and operate networks
Contents of Homepages(‘98)
1. Event announcement 2,4002. Tourism & local products 1,9753. Guide to facilities 1,6384. Administrative information 1,5415. Local business & industry
9956. Statistics 8017. Citizens Life 731
Challenge #1
• Sustainability–Funding–Business model–Capital investment
Challenge #2• Centralization
–Tokyo absorbs everything– Internet sacks everything!?
• Establishing local autonomy
Challenge #3• Vision & Concept
–Leadership
–Future direction
Challenge #4• Resources
–Human resources–Technical resources
CN in Asia• Korea:
– Internet explosion – Senior net (Wisemen’s House)
• Singapore: top-down– Community club– Broadband didn’t take off
• Malaysia:– MSC– SJ2005 (www.sj2005.com.my/)
• Philippines: NGOs in islands• Bangladesh: Gramin Bank experiments
See you [email protected]
