NAME OF NATION: JAPAN

Name of Respondent Supplying Information: Hiroshi Murakami
Title (if any): Director for GIS Technology Coordination Geographical Survey Institute
Mailing Address: Kitasato-1, Tsukuba 305-0811 JAPAN
E-mail Address: murahiro@gsi-mc.go.jp
Telephone Number: +81-298-64-6938
Fax Number: +81-298-64-1658

Name : Kyoko KondoTitle (if any): Deputy Director National Land Information Office,National Land Agency, Prime minister’s Office
Mailing Address:1-1-2 Kasumigaseki,Chiyoda,Tokyo 100-8972 JAPAN
E-mail Address: x747110@nla.go.jp
Telephone Number: +81-3-3593-3311(ex.7321)
Fax Number: +81-3-3504-2725

Does your nation have an active or proposed initiative for developing a national spatial data infrastructure (or its equivalent)?

YES

**** POLICY ISSUES ****

LEADERSHIP: Which agency or organization is coordinating or leading national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI) development efforts in your nation? (If no single agency is coordinating, please provide a primary point of contact from whom we may learn more.)

Under the initiative of the Prime Minister’s Office, the National Land Agency (NLA) and the Geographical Survey Institute (GSI), serve as the secretariat of the Liaison Committee on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which consists of twenty-two related ministries and agencies, and the purpose of which includes standardizing basic geographical data, developing the national spatial framework data and establishing rules concerning use and exchange of data to be provided by both public and private sectors

Agency/Organization Name: Cabinet Councilor’s Office on Internal Affairs, Cabinet Secretariat
Name of Agency Head or Primary Contact Person: Please contact the Geographical Survey Institute or the National Land Agency as mentioned above.

AVAILABILITY: What are the primary types, categories or forms of spatial digital data being made available through your nation's NSDI?

The Committee took an initiative to develop a long-term plan for the standardization of Japanese NSDI. The standard drafted by the Committee will be finalized by the end of the fiscal year 1998(March 1999).

The four criteria approved in the government for a data set to be standardized as the framework data are as follows:

1. Data of socio-economic importance;

2. Free access

3. Reliability of the quality; and

4. Updated on regular basis

MECHANICS OF ACCESS: Through what technical and organizational mechanisms are spatial data being made available through the NSDI?

Establishment of clearinghouse is being considered in the Government. Prototype clearinghouse nodes have been established in some agencies including the National Land Agency and the Geographical Survey Institute.

LEGAL AND ECONOMIC FRAMEWORKS FOR ACCESS: What are the legal and economic constraints under which citizens, businesses or others may gain access to data available through the NSDI?

It depends on existing laws and regulations related to individual maps, records, and data. General rules concerning government’s information disclosure/distribution on digital basis will be developed through the discussion concerning the "Electronic Government" by the Management and Administration Agency.

Data distribution rules related to GIS are discussed at the government liaison committee on GIS, the outcome of which will be incorporated into the government plan to develop NSDI.

NLA has initiated a research project by organizing an expert group to investigate GIS-related legal issues including personal data protection, rules, terms, fee, copyrights of electrical record, and commercial use of government’s information.

DATA COLLECTION COORDINATION: What parties are involved in collecting data for the NSDI and how is data collection coordinated?

Ideally, framework data for a geographic area will be developed, maintained, and integrated by organizations that produce and make use of data for that area.

Virtually all spatial data producers, especially those that are in charge of the framework data items to be approved in the Government, are invited to join the effort. Currently, agencies like the Geographical Survey Institute and the National Census Bureau are developing and providing spatial data based on their mandated tasks. Some local governments are also distributing their spatial data. The private sector has been developing spatial data for their businesses. In Japan, residential maps and car navigation data are two of the most successful businesses on spatial data development.

The mechanism for the data collection coordination is now under discussion in the Government

PRICING: If charges are assessed for spatial data made available through the NSDI, what is the basis or method for determining the price of various forms of spatial data?

Currently, the pricing policy of spatial data depends on each data producer.

COMMERCIAL INVOLVEMENT: Please describe how private commercial firms are involved in helping to build the NSDI.

In Japan, the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Promoting Association (NSDIPA) was established in 1995 to promote the NSDI and its related activities in both public and private sectors.

Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) has also organized a working group to study new business opportunities, etc. related to GIS.

PUBLIC DOMAIN DATA SETS: Please describe those digital spatial data sets for jurisdictions within your nation that are available to anyone without any licensing or intellectual property restrictions imposed on the data sets and the data sets are available at no cost or little cost. How may copies be acquired of these public domain data sets?

Currently, virtually no data sets are available as public domain data sets.

PUBLIC GOODS ASPECTS OF NSDI: Please describe any additional services or goods provided by government in support of the NSDI for which individual users are not charged.

Public awareness raising activities are actively undertaken by both public and private sectors, including distribution/publication of general brochures, handbooks, CD-ROMs targeting local governments, etc.

Almost all the major outcomes of the discussions in the Government are provided through Web sites including those of the National Land Agency and the Geographical Survey Institute.

PRIVACY: Please describe how the information privacy of individual citizens is protected relative to data that may be accessed through the NSDI.

Personal information used by GIS is protected by individual laws, regulations and guidelines. GIS-specific information privacy policy is under discussion.

**** OPERATIONAL ISSUES ****

AUTHORITY: Do the laws or formal orders of any legislative or executive branches of government explicitly recognize the need to establish or further develop the NSDI?

NO

GIS-related activities are recognized as one of the major tasks in the context of promotion of "Electronic Government", however, spatial data distribution as part of NSDI is discretion of each organization

FUNDING: Have funds been specifically budgeted and acquired for NSDI activities?

If YES, please describe the purpose of the funds and the amounts.

YES

Funds have been allocated for NSDI research including standardization, pilot studies with local governments, and data integration through distributed network. Other funds are directed to develop spatial framework data as a precursor to the future national spatial framework data.

Various funds are allocated to GIS related activities: -Research concerning standardization of NSDI:
-Digitalization of Data
-Development of application
-Technological research and development related to GIS

INCLUSIVENESS: Please describe the types and extent of participants involved in building the NSDI and their roles.

-Twenty-two Ministries and Agencies have joined as members of Liaison Committee among Ministries and Agencies regarding GIS established in 1995
-Geographical Survey Institute: mainly responsible for standardization of framework data.
-National Land Agency: promotion of the use and distribution of spatial data, in particular, attribute data and digital imagery.
-Developing rules for use and exchange of spatial data.
-Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and Ministry of Post and Telecommunication: technological aspects
-Ministry of Home Affairs: cooperation with local governments
-Other Ministries and agencies: developing individual data, applications etc.
-The government is working in cooperation with local governments and the private sector

COMPONENTS: Please indicate whether the vision of an NSDI for your nation incorporates the following components or concepts.

A. METADATA YES
B. CLEARINGHOUSE YES
C. DATA STANDARDS YES
D. CORE DATA YES

RESEARCH: Have funds been specifically budgeted and spent on research projects to advance NSDI concepts?

If YES, please describe the types of projects that have been funded.

YES

Many Ministries and Agencies have been doing research on different topics including GIS data standardization, clearinghouse, data distribution through network, and mechanism of georeferencing.

LINKAGE TO GENERAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYSTANDARDS - Which international or national information and communication technology standards has the NSDI adopted?

ISO/TC211

GLOBAL SPATIAL DATASETS: Does your NSDI provide access to spatial with global coverage?

If YES, which datasets and how may access to these datasets be achieved?

The Geographical Survey Institute provides a mirror site of the EROS Data Center’s global data set (Global DEM data: GTOPO-30).

GLOBAL OR REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVES: Iyo NSDI formally affiliated with or connected to any global or regional spatial data infrastructure initiatives?

Not formally. But the Geographical Survey Institute (GSI) has been taking an initiative of Global Mapping and undertake the responsibility of the secretariat of the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping. GSI is also involved in the activities of GSDI and Permanent Committee on GIS Infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific.

LONG TERM VISION OR STRATEGIC PLAN: Has a long term vision statement or strategic plan been developed for your country's NSDI?

YES

If YES, how may a copy be obtained?

"The Long Term Plan for development of NSDI and Promotion of GIS" (in Japanese), agreed by the 22 Ministries and Agencies can be downloaded from the following web site (in Japanese)

Geographical Survey Institute

National Land Agency

GRAND CHALLEGES: Name one of the most pressing challenges for NSDI development in your nation.

-Standardization, effective development and distribution of framework data

-Development of incentives for the practitioners in central and local governments that they will join in the effort of framework data development and data distribution.