Keio Research Institute at SFC

* This laboratory has been completed.

Objectives

The objectives of the Regional Informatization Research Consortium are to establish networks between municipalities and conduct various collaborative and continuous projects, such as information exchanges, interaction events, and business expansion. Through these objectives, it aims to promote utilization of ICT, which is tailored according to regional conditions and truly useful for regional citizens, with regard to finding solutions to various administrative and regional problems faced by municipalities.

Research Outline

Internet technology makes it possible for everybody to offer and share information and helps each individual take the initiative in playing a special role in organizations, regions, or even the world. Furthermore, the Internet information network can facilitate exchanges between distant regions in a physical sense. Based on these points, this research consortium was established in November 2008, and has conducted research under three major concepts: fostering of human resources to lead regional informatization, establishment of networks for regional medical care and welfare, and the promotion of regional media. These research activities have been conducted in succession to the human network of the “CAN Forum (established in 1997 as a platform for people to share experiences and information in different regions, with the aim of providing support for regional informatization developed from regional communities).”

In line with the research activities mentioned above, the “ICT summit of Local Government in Japan” was held at the Open Research Forum in 2010. In this summit, discussions were conducted with municipal leaders on how the municipality-led utilization of information should be, in order to make informatization truly useful for citizens. Leaders from 22 municipalities and representatives from 9 municipalities participated in the summit, in response to the invitations sent to 1700 municipal leaders throughout Japan. At the end of the summit, a statement was issued with the endorsement and backing of 28 municipalities.

As a number of municipalities and related corporations have expressed their intention of continuous support for these endeavors, the new mission of this consortium will be to pursue sustainable efforts in gathering and studying ideas on regional informatization from citizens’ viewpoints in order to best reflect them into the policies.

Activities

• General Meeting (Activity report by special groups: once a year)General Meeting is held as a session at the ORF (Open Research Forum).
• Regular MeetingRegular meetings with general members are held once a month in Tokyo. Regular meetings are divided up into special groups that focus on specific themes and research groups that study broader and more general themes.
  • Special Group Activities (An alternative to face-to-face meeting is under consideration)A special group is set up according to each theme and administered by a coordinating municipality for each group. Within each group, members share information on municipalities and seek solutions to problems, as well as exchange ideas with corporate supporting members.(Proposal for 2011) Special Group for Invigoration of Industries and Tourism
    Detailed problem solving methods are developed, as well as a research study by Keio University in response to the problems presented by the coordinating municipality of a special group.
  • Research Group ActivitiesIn collaboration with the Platform Design Laboratory of the Keio Research Institute at SFC, presentations and discussions under the general theme of regional ICT utilization conducted by the laboratory members are held bimonthly.
• Study Tour to Regions with Preceding ExamplesThere is an overnight study tour to regions where successful projects have been conducted by the local municipality with the use of ICT. (Tour report will be posted on the website with supporting video)

Activity Schedule

• May 19 (Thu.), 2011: 1st Regular Meeting
  • 14:00 -16:00 Special Group Session
  • 16:00 -18:00 Platform Design Laboratory Meeting (Theme: ICT and Regional Welfare (tentative))

   

• June 30 (Thu.) – July 1 (Fri.), 2011
  • Study Tour: Toho Village, Fukuoka Prefecture – Case study of invigoration of regional welfare and industry through utilization of ICT

   

• July 21 (Thu.), 2011: 2nd Regular Meeting
  • 14:00 – 16:00 Special Group Session
  • 16:00 – 18:00 Platform Design Laboratory Meeting (Theme: ICT and Community Development (tentative))

   

• September 22 (Thu.), 2011: 3rd Regular Meeting
  • 14:00 – 16:00 Special Group Session
  • 16:00 – 18:00 Platform Design Laboratory Meeting (Theme: Regions and e-Commerce (tentative))

   

• End of October, 2011: ORF Preparation
• Late November, 2011: General Meeting, Steering Committee (at ORF)
• January 2012: Revision of ORF, 4th Regular Meeting
• February 2012: 5th Regular Meeting
• March 2012: Summary of 2011 activities

Administration

The Steering Committee, consisting of the coordinating municipality and Keio University representatives, acts as an administrator. (The committee meets several times a year.) The coordinating municipality is to be appointed at the General Meeting.

Researchers, managers and professors