Roundtable Discussion with Councillors Kobayashi and Seko, Japanese Diet
Wednesday, May 4, 2005, 10:30 am - 11:30 am, Internet Education Foundation Conference Room
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The Internet Caucus Advisory Committee hosted an informal, roundtable discussion with two leaders of the Japanese Diet -- Councillors Yutaka Kobayashi and Hiroshige Seko -- at its offices on Wednesday, May 4. Seko-san and Kobayashi-san discussed the scope of Internet-related issues in Japan, including broadband and cyber security.
Last year, Japan saw an increase in the rate of nationwide broadband penetration, from 11.7 percent in 2003 to 14.1 percent in 2004. Despite these advancements, Japan's rank in the ITU's Broadband Penetration listing fell five places to 13 overall -- ceding ground to Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, and Israel. The U.S. ranked 16 in that report -- dangerously close to falling off the report altogether.
The Councillors downplayed the significance of that report; Mr. Seko noted that Japan offered the "fastest connections at the lowest prices." Kobayashi agreed, saying that the numbers and rankings change "from report to report," and touted Japan's success in deploying new technologies, including those supporting mobile commerce and next-generation Internet Protocol (IPv6), for example.
The discussion also shed light on the different modes of Internet connection in Japan and the United States, as well as the various regulatory structures in the two countries. Unlike in the United States, cable companies do not play a large role in the broadband market, and instead, Internet is usually accessed over telephone lines via DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connections. As well, Japan has the highest rate of Internet usage via mobile phones in the world, and Fiber-to-the-Home, using fiber optics, has multiplied in recent years. Both Councillors spoke about the need to encourage investment by telecommunications providers to continue to expand their infrastructure into underserved areas.
The Councillors intend to create a counterpart to the Internet Caucus in the Japan, and hope to build upon their already strong relationship with U.S. policymakers on these issues. They hope to learn from the experiences of the United States in cases where the U.S. is ahead of Japan, and, as well, share lessons they have learned in their efforts. Mr. Kobayashi, in particular, is interested in advancing e-government capabilities in Japan.