SAQ² ( Sakusaku ) JAPAN Project -Action Plan for Establishing ICT Use Environment for Foreign Tourists-

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1 June 12, 2014 Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications SAQ² ( Sakusaku ) JAPAN Project -Action Plan for Establishing ICT Use Environment for Foreign Tourists- The number of foreign tourists exceeded 10 million for the first time last year. It is expected to be as many as 20 million by Increasing the number of foreign tourists will significantly contribute to cultural exchanges between Japan and other countries, the promotion and deepening of mutual understanding, and the sustainable economic growth of Japan. Today, ICT forms the base of all services and enable foreign tourists to find Japan s diverse attractiveness. Improvement of the ICT use environment to make foreign tourists feel more comfortable and to impress them deeply with the spirit of Omotenashi (hospitality) as well as increasing foreign tourists level of satisfaction in finding Japaneseness while staying in Japan, will contribute to a further increase in the number of foreign tourists, including some who will visit Japan again, it will also contribute to the new development of Japan. To achieve this target, it is necessary to powerfully promote effective measures. The following matters should be considered from a viewpoint of foreign tourists. (1) Omotenashi(hospitality) starts before their coming to Japan. We should enhance foreign tourists expectations while they are in their home countries. (2) Foreign tourists have various backgrounds of ICT use in their home countries. The ICT use environment of the highest global level means custom-made environment meeting the needs of individual foreign tourists. Therefore, it is important to realize a multiple ICT use environment where individual foreign tourists can select the most appropriate item. (3) For foreign tourists who have already used ICT practically available in Japan, offer a more comfortable and higher quality ICT use environment. For foreign tourists who have not used ICT yet, have them experience Japanese advanced ICT. We have to make efforts to enhance the satisfaction of various types of foreign tourists. Based on the concepts shown above, this action plan aims at realizing an ICT use environment that is Selectable, providing the most appropriate communication means from a number of choices that meet the needs of individual foreign tourists, Accessible, and High Quality to make an appeal of Japanese attractiveness to foreign tourists. 1

2 (1) Realization of selectable multiple ICT use environment Aim at reasonable use of the most appropriate communications means that meet their needs such as free Wi-Fi, SIM 1 issued in Japan, rental mobile phone, international roaming, etc. (2) Realization of accessible ICT use environment Foreign tourists visit places according to their purposes within limited visit duration. Considering the tourists area of activity including airports, stations, public transportation, accommodations, sightseeing areas, etc., ICT use environment should be established so that they can use ICT easily and securely anytime and anywhere in order to stay in Japan joyfully. (3) Realization of high quality ICT use environment to make an appeal of Japanese attractiveness Use high-quality ICT environment to sweep barriers of Japanese language away and create superb opportunities for obtaining information and some new findings. In such an environment, Japan s attractiveness, such as traditional culture, nature, new culture, craftsmanship, etc. can be thoroughly shown to foreign tourists to make a positive impression on them Provision of ICT use environment is not only for Omotenashi (hospitality) for foreign tourists but also for contribution to the future overseas development of Japan s ICT as a showcase. In the progress of this action plan, we will promote activities considering new development after Looking ahead to 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, we should launch executable policies as soon as possible in cooperation with related government agencies, institutes, organizations, business operators, etc. 1 Abbreviation of Subscriber Identification Module : An IC card inserted into a mobile phone by a user when he/she wants to connect with a communication service: Contractor s data such as telephone number is recorded in SIM and used for certification when a mobile phone is connected to the network. 2

3 Action Plan 1. Accelerated Establishment of Free Wi-Fi for Smooth Use Foreign tourists strongly need a free Wi-Fi environment. Due to recent servicedevelopment 2, the free Wi-Fi environment has been dramatically improved 3 in Japan. However, some local areas don t have sufficient environment for free Wi-Fi. We should establish the Wi-Fi infrastructure including sightseeing areas in local areas by 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games considering the flow of foreign tourists. For using the free Wi-Fi, currently, users are required to input mail-address, etc. in many cases by each provider. As this is troublesome for users, the procedures should be simplified as much as possible. Moreover, some foreign tourists hope to use their Wi-Fi devices temporarily brought into Japan that may not be confirmed to satisfy Japanese technical regulations. Plan of Action For promotion of improvement and smoothening of use of free Wi-Fi environment for foreign tourists, establish a council consisting of MIC, Japan Tourism Agency, telecommunications operators, area owners, etc. to execute the following matters. [Council will be established by Summer These actions will be performed subsequently.] (1) Encourage area owners to improve the environment of the free Wi-Fi in places where many foreign tourists will be expected to visit (sightseeing areas, public transportation such as stations, airports, etc.). (2) Consider simplification and unification of procedures to start using the free Wi-Fi for foreign tourists. (3) Promote publicity about the information of free Wi-Fi access points in Japan for foreign countries to enable foreign tourists to easily find buildings where the free Wi-Fi is available and to register before coming to Japan. 2 For example, the number of access points of free Wi-Fi provided by NTT Broadband Platform, Inc. has been rapidly increased from about 2000 (March, 2012) to about (March, 2014). 3 The results of a Web questionnaire on foreigners who visited Japan and used free Wi-Fi in the past half year are as follows: Satisfied: 63.6%, Not sufficient, but no significant problem: 32.7%, Not satisfied: 3.7% ( Survey and Research on Inside and Outside Status of Provision of Public Wireless LAN and Foreign Tourists Needs for ICT Services in Japan March 2014) ) 3

4 Provide tourist information required by foreign tourists in open data and cloud. To get these information, accelerated free Wi-Fi environments and develop application. [Implemented within 2014] Support local governments that promote free Wi-Fi establishment policy and install the free Wi-Fi system in public facilities, etc. At the same time, set up websites to introduce model cases, handbooks, and the status of spreading Wi-Fi. Efforts for promoting Wi-Fi and enhancing measures for information security will be also made. [Promoted continuously. The website will be established by July 2014.] Promote trials to make public pay Wi-Fi services using consolidated SSID 4 at the time of disasters. These trials are for foreigners to make them obtain information on the disaster in shelters, etc. when they are stricken by wide-scale disasters. [Performed immediately.] With regard to the Wi-Fi devices temporarily brought into Japan by foreign tourists that may not be confirmed to satisfy Japanese technical regulations, consider required systems based on discussions at the Radio Policy Vision Council. [Considered and concluded within ] 2. Facilitating Use of Smartphone and Cell Phone by Inserting SIM Issued in Japan Foreign tourists can use their own mobile phone by international roaming after entering Japan. However, for using communication infrastructure in Japan at low cost with a certain security, it is effective to use SIM issued by domestic telecommunications operators in Japan. On the other hand, compared with foreign countries, SIMs are only available at shops or vending machines 5 at a few airports, and setting procedures for the SIM sold by MVNO 6, when it is initially inserted into a mobile phone are complicated. It is difficult for foreign tourists to use the SIM. Furthermore, some foreign tourists hope to use their mobile phone temporarily brought into Japan that may not be confirmed to satisfy Japanese technical regulations, via the SIM issued in Japan. 4 The abbreviation of Service Set IDentifier : It means a name given to the access point to identify the Wi-Fi Network. 5 So-net Corporation launched provision of the prepaid type SIM Prepaid LTE SIM on April 22. This can be acquired via vending machine at Kansai International Airport, and attracts attention as a service for foreign users. 6 The abbreviation of Mobile Virtual Network Operator : It means telecommunication operator providing mobile service of own brand by procuring wireless network from existing mobile network operator.(mno) 4

5 Plan of Action Establish an environment where foreign tourists can rapidly and easily use SIM (MVNO issued by Japanese operator including MCNO) issued in Japan (e.g. simplification of use procedures of SIMs), based on the discussion Information and Communications Council 2020-ICT Infrastructure Policy Task Force. [Considered and concluded within 2014.] Based on the fact that telecommunication operators have to confirm a customer s identification when contracting SIM for voice services, compile procedures for enhancing smooth identification of foreign tourists by passport and notify telecommunication operators of the procedures. [Executed within FY2014.] With regard to the use of mobile phone with SIM issued in Japan temporarily brought into Japan by foreign tourists that may not be confirmed to satisfy Japanese technical regulations, consider required systems based on discussions at the Radio Policy Vision Council. [Considered and concluded within 2014.] 3. Lowering of International Mobile Roaming Charge International mobile roaming is one of the easiest methods for foreign tourists to use Japanese communications infrastructure and there is a great demand for it. However, the charge remains high. International frameworks such as OECD and ITU recognize that international roaming should be lowered. However, specific actions have not made progress. Alternative voice services such as Skype and LINE are spreading. What we should do first is to make efforts to reduce international data roaming charge. Plan of Action At the moment, promote bilateral discussion with a country having a positive attitude to lowering international mobile roaming charges, aiming at creating a best practice policy especially for lowering data roaming. After that, increase the number of countries that adopt such best practice policies through further bilateral discussion. Also, enhance the adoption of it in multilateral frameworks. [Started immediately.] Consideration of institutional collateral measures for making the results of bilateral agreement on international mobile roaming effective. [Established in response to the progress of bilateral discussion.] 5

6 4. Promotion of Global Communication Plan 7 to Break Barrier of Languages While it is difficult for foreigners to learn Japanese, most information required for life in Japan is not provided in foreign languages and in general, foreigners living in Japan experience difficulties in leading their daily lives in Japan. In order to dissolve these difficulties and make foreigners spend time more comfortably in Japan, it is important to make full use of multiple language voice translation systems to break the language barriers. Plan of Action Raise the accuracy of translation via multiple language voice translation systems developed focusing on disaster prevention and reduction, medical, and daily life, as well as conversation for travel, in order to support foreigners staying in Japan. At the same time, carry out R&D for multilingual voice translation system with higher accuracy corresponding to an increased number of languages. [Partially executed, and R&D will be further enhanced.] Develop voice translation applications available in various situations and execute verification test on implementation by industry-government-academia research group [Establish the group within 2014, and install the applications in wide areas by 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.] 7 On 11 April, 2014, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, Mr. Shindo announced Global Communication Plan for the purpose of implementation of multilingual speech translation system. In this plan, (1)Verification in National Strategic Special Zones such as hospital, shopping mall, sightseeing area, (2)Increased of corresponding field and language of multilingual speech translation, (3)Implementation on 2020 Olympic, will be executed in future. 6

7 Foreign Tourists Needs to ICT Use Environment in Japan

8 Source (1)-(3):Yano Research Institute Ltd. Study on domestic and foreign status of provision of wireless public LAN and foreign tourists needs to ICT service, FY2013 (4):Japan National Tourism Organization, Press release 8