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Summary

Overview

  • The ASEM Seminar on the Digital Opportunity was held in Tokyo on 22-23 March 2001.
  • The seminar was organized under the framework of the Initiative to Address the Digital Divide, which was endorsed by the leaders at the Third Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM III) that took place on 19-21 October 2000 in Seoul. The seminar represented the first opportunity for policymakers and experts in information and communications technology (IT) of ASEM partners to come together to hold discussions under the Initiative.
  • The seminar was attended by participants from most of the ASEM partners, and was chaired by Deputy Director-General Kaoru Ishikawa of the Economic Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
  • The participants had discussions under the following four themes relating to IT and the digital opportunity:
    • IT to Meet Social Needs
    • IT Infrastructures
    • Human Capital--Awareness, Knowledge and Education
    • Policy Environment and the Role of Government

In all, 22 presentations were given by participants from 16 ASEM partners, and the exchange of information provided each participant with insights and ideas about how to best bridge the digital divide between and within countries.

Content of Discussion

1. IT to Meet Social Needs

Discussions on this theme revolved around the importance of IT as a tool to enhance the autonomy of individuals, and empower all members of society to take full advantage of the digital opportunity. Participants particularly stressed the opportunity that IT brings in achieving inclusion of the elderly, the physically challenged, and those in the lower income brackets, as well as in reviving "community".

In the discussion, efforts to provide Internet access to schools and universities, and efforts to provide education through the Internet, were appraised as useful means of disseminating the benefits of IT to all strata of society. The practicability of launching "community access centers" to familiarize the general public with the Internet, especially in rural areas, was noted. High charges for long distance calls were recognized as a challenge to be overcome in expanding access to the Internet. Some participants pointed out that the preponderance of English language material on the Internet created difficulties for those people who were not equipped to utilize English language-based information, and stressed the need for the dissemination of information in local languages. The importance of political leadership in diffusing IT throughout the society was also recognized.

2. IT Infrastructures

This theme attracted discussion on the need for market liberalization and the promotion of competition in order to build up and enhance existing infrastructures and increase transparency. It was noted that the explosive growth and ongoing development of communications networks called for new regulatory frameworks to maximize the social gain from the efforts of the private sector.

The participants recognized that the geographic uniqueness of each country should be duly considered in building IT infrastructure. Difficulties posed by the huge expense associated with a transition to fiber-optic networks, especially for sparsely populated countries, were noted. The issue of regulation of Internet content was also discussed, with some contemporary examples, such as Internet filtering, cited. The necessity of convincing development actors to give high priority to IT was also pointed out. Some participants reported positive results of regional integration within the EU.

3. Human Capital--Awareness, Knowledge and Education

The importance of IT-related training and education to all sectors of society was stressed in discussions on the theme of human capital. The participants concurred that the cultivation of human capital is crucial in the creation of a dynamic and productive information society. Presentations were made on national policies aimed at raising awareness, and the importance of affordable access to telecommunications and the Internet was stressed once again.

The importance of customizing machines to human needs, especially for elderly and physically challenged citizens, was pointed out. The human-communication aspects, rather than solely technological aspects, of the Internet were stressed. Some participants raised the issue of potential cultural friction in the context of the borderless flow of information. However, it was emphasized that IT and the Internet offered a unique chance to enhance mutual understanding among different cultures, noting that every culture can disseminate information to the world.

4. Policy Environment and the Role of Government

A series of informative presentations was made on the formulation of IT policy of different countries and the difficulties in such processes. It was pointed out that various factors within a country, such as the economic situation, the level of IT development, and the population, would have a bearing on IT policy.

It was noted that various countries had established different criteria in their efforts to bridge the digital divide and provide opportunities for their citizens to join the information society. The importance of meaningful benchmarks based on clearly defined data was noted. In conclusion, it was suggested that ASEM partners' efforts in bridging the digital divide should be reported in the ASEM framework.

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