The dissemination of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) (Note 5) contributes to the upgrading of industry, the improvement of productivity, the achievement of sustainable economic growth, as well as addressing issues related to medical care, education, energy, environment, disaster risk reduction, and other social issues in developing countries. Furthermore, the utilization of ICT improves their democratic foundation by encouraging information disclosure by governments and establishing broadcasting media. In this way, ICT is extremely important for strengthening civil society through enhanced convenience and improved services as well as for quality growth.

Amidst the globalization and growing openness of research and development through the rapid development of ICT, science, technology, and innovation are undergoing fundamental transformations. The importance of international cooperation that harnesses the power of science, technology, and innovation, is also recognized in the implementation of the SDGs, which require comprehensive solutions by 2030 for a wide range of issues covering the economy, society, and environment. In light of this, there is a call for more strategic and proactive efforts in science and technology diplomacy.

■Japan’s Efforts

● Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

In 2017, Japan formulated the Playbook for Investment in “Quality ICT Infrastructure” for ICT policymakers and procurement managers of the respective countries and regions in order to promote quality infrastructure investment in the field of ICT, with the aim of eliminating the ICT disparities that exist between countries and regions, and to help improve the quality of life of all people.

Training on terrestrial broadcast and high-definition (HD) program production being conducted with equipment provided through grant aid at the Instituto Nacional de Investigacióny Capacitación de Telecomunicaciones de la Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería (INICTEL-UNI) in Lima, Peru (Photo: JICA)

Moreover, Japan actively offers assistance centered on the establishment of communications and broadcasting equipment and facilities in developing countries, and the introduction of the technology and systems they require, and relevant human resources development. Specifically, Japan makes proactive efforts to provide comprehensive support for the overseas promotion of Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T)*, which is also an effective means for boosting Japan’s economic growth, in the areas of maintenance, personnel and systems. As of December 2018, ISDB-T is being spread in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and has been adopted in a total of 18 countries (Note 6). A JICA training program is conducted every year for countries adopting or considering ISDB-T to promote the spread and introduction of ISDB-T overseas. In order to increase the adoption of ISDB-T in other countries, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) is also promoting assistance that offers ICT solutions to resolve social issues by way of dialogues and joint projects with partner governments.

MIC contributes in the field of overseas deployment of ICT for disaster risk reduction. Japan’s ICT for disaster risk reduction makes it possible to collect, analyze and distribute disaster information in an integrated manner, allowing detailed information to be communicated swiftly and infallibly at the community level, including to the public. MIC continues to cooperate in the field of overseas deployment of ICT for disaster risk reduction and thereby contribute to increasing the disaster reduction capabilities of developing countries. (see here for more information on disaster risk reduction.)

Japan also actively carry outs projects in collaboration with international organizations. Japan works with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU),* a specialized UN agency that is responsible for telecommunications, to provide a variety of development assistance in the field of telecommunications to developing countries. Particularly, in the fields of disaster risk reduction, health care, and cybersecurity, Japan organized workshops covering these areas in cooperation with ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D) Study Groups, aimed at human resources development in developing countries.

In May 2018, Japan also hosted a panel discussion on early warning systems in Switzerland. Also, in October the same year, Japan additionally hosted workshops in Switzerland regarding disaster management training using an emergency communication system, the introduction of new digital healthcare technology, and new challenges in cybersecurity. These workshops provided an opportunity for Japan to present its leading ICT technology and systems in the fields of disaster risk management and healthcare, as well as its policies and initiatives regarding cybersecurity. Each workshop was attended by around 50 to 80 participants, and were highly appreciated. Furthermore, in addition to the aforementioned topics, Japan is proactively contributing to the information sharing between countries, including developing countries, by submitting papers on specific examples of Japan’s good practices on topics such as accessibility, smart society, and environmental issues, to the relevant ITU Study Groups.

In the Asia-Pacific region, the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT),* an international organization in the field of information and communications, contributes to the balanced development of the telecommunications and information infrastructure in the region. The APT hosts a ministerial-level meeting once in every five years to further strengthen regional cooperation to support the advancement of ICT in the Asia-Pacific region, and issues a joint statement setting the medium-term direction of ICT initiatives. In 2014, the APT Ministerial Meeting was held in Brunei Darussalam, and adopted a joint statement for the 38 member states and APT to cooperate on efforts to build a “Smart Digital Economy” in the region.

In order to promote the capacity building (human resource development) programs, which have been positioned as one of the priority areas under the joint statement, Japan assists in the large number of training programs conducted by APT every year. In 2016, APT launched a training program for young administrative officials to help them enhance skills in playing an active role in international conferences. The second series of this program was held in 2017, and was attended by 30participants. As ICT is a field that is not restricted to one country, it is important to coordinate the views of various stakeholders overseas. Hence, by improving their presentation and negotiation skills at international conferences through this training program, young administrative officials from APT member states are expected to build interpersonal networks while further advancing international cooperation and collaboration. The next Ministerial Meeting is planned to be held in June 2019 in Singapore.

Furthermore, in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ICT was identified as a key driver in ASEAN’s economic and social transformation under the blueprints adopted at the ASEAN Summit in November 2015 that provide new indicators leading up to 2025. Also, at the ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers (TELMIN) Meeting held in the same month, the “ASEAN ICT Masterplan 2020 (AIM2020)” that serves as ASEAN’s ICT strategy towards 2020 was formulated. Moreover, with regard to the issues of cyber-attacks that have become key concerns of countries in recent years, Japan and ASEAN have agreed to further strengthen their cooperation in the information security field.

Given this context, the basic assistance policies made by the relevant ministries and agencies to strategically and efficiently provide all-Japan support for capacity building in the cyber security field in developing countries were reported to the cyber security strategy headquarters in 2016. As one initiative within this efforts, the “ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre (AJCCBC)” was established in Bangkok, Thailand in September 2018 through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) to support human resources development in the cyber security field for the ASEAN member states. Japan will actively provide support in line with the basic assistance policies, mainly to the ASEAN countries for the time being.

●Peru

Dispatch of Individual Expert “Advisor for the Implementation of Emergency Warning Broadcast System (EWBS)”
(September 23, 2015 – September 22, 2017)

Mr. Nobuo Okabe, EWBS Implementation Advisor, introducing the EWBS at a terrestrial digital seminar (Photo: Embassy of Japan in Peru)

In 2009, Peru became the first Spanish-speaking country to decide to adopt the Japanese system of terrestrial digital broadcasting (ISB-T). Currently, this system is being introduced and spread to the country’s major metropolitan areas, including the capital, Lima, and Callao. The Emergency Warning Broadcast System (EWBS), one of the Japanese system’s features, is a method for broadcasting urgent information via the television, using a special signal, in order to promptly convey information on disasters such as earthquake and tsunami. Although the EWBS is recognized as an effective warning system for Peru, which is beset by numerous natural disasters like Japan, it has yet to be operated smoothly due to a lack of experts.

Given this situation, Japan dispatched “Advisors for the Implementation of the Emergency Warning Broadcast System (EWBS)” and provided support for the sharing of know-how on the EWBS to government agencies and media in Peru. In cooperation with the ministries and agencies responsible in Peru, Japan also held seminars to introduce the EWBS in Lima and regional cities, resulting not only in the training of engineers, but also in raising disaster-prevention awareness among the people.

Thanks to the support from the Japanese experts, the EWBS, which had previously only been used for test broadcasts to check the operation of the equipment, was actually utilized to transmit a signal and convey tsunami information to the public, when an earthquake struck in a neighboring country. As a result, Peru became the first country in Central and South America to make practical use of the EWBS.

Going forward, Peru is expected to serve as a leader in the spread of digital terrestrial broadcasting and the EWBS in Central and South America, and engage in independent efforts, such as sharing its experience with other countries adopting the Japanese terrestrial digital system in the region.

●Promoting Science, Technology and Innovation, and Research and Development

Based on the necessity raised in the international community to formulate a roadmap to facilitate the greatest use of science, technology and innovation (STI) towards the achievement of the SDGs, Japan presented the “Recommendation on STI to Achieve the SDGs and its Guiding Tool, the STI Roadmap - To Think, Proceed and Create Together with the World -” submitted by the Advisory Board for the Promotion of Science and Technology Diplomacy, chaired by Dr. Teruo Kishi, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the third United Nations (UN) STI Forum held in June 2018. The recommendation states that a roadmap is a vital “communication tool” which allows multiple stakeholders, such as governments, academia, industry, the private sector, financial organizations and NGOs to visualize what actions must be taken by when. It also emphasizes the need for Japan to share perspectives with people around the world and create together, as it leads efforts toward formulating a roadmap, in order to contribute to the international community. The importance of formulating a roadmap was refl ected in the STI Forum Co-Chairs’ Summary, and was reported at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) organized by the UN Economic and Social Council in July of the same year.

In addition, as a major program for Japan’s science and technology diplomacy, the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) program*, which links ODA and the science and technology budget, was launched in 2008, and by 2018, 133 joint research projects in 50 countries around the world has been adopted.

Japan is also strengthening assistance for overseas engineering universities to develop networks among the next-generation based on cooperation for human resources development. In Asia, Japan provides support to the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) by purchasing equipment and supplies for education and research as well as developing curriculums. Japan also collaborates with 27 universities and two research organizations in Japan to extend cooperation for establishing curriculums, dispatching Japanese faculty, and other objectives. In addition, Japan provides contributions to the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) located in Thailand, one of Asia’s leading graduate schools offering Master’s and Ph.D. programs at the School of Engineering and Technology, the School of Environment, Resources and Development, and other faculties. In particular, Japan is providing scholarships to students studying remote sensing (satellite image analysis) in courses taught by Japanese instructors, and contributes to human resources development in the field of remote sensing that utilizes artificial satellites constituting the crux of the space industry development in the Asian region.

Japan also provides support in regions outside Asia. In Egypt since 2008, Japan has supported the operations of the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), a public university based on the concept of “graduate school, research-centered, pragmatic, and international-standard education for a small number of students,” drawing on the features of Japanese style engineering education. 15 universities in Japan have collaborated to dispatch faculty and staff to Egypt to provide lecture and research guidance, and support curriculum development. Through an all-Japan effort, Japan aims to share its science and technology education practices with Africa and the Middle East.

In Rwanda, which is seeking to become an ICT nation, Japan launched the “ICT Innovation Ecosystem Strengthening Project” in 2017, and is dispatching experts, to provide policy recommendations and nurture entrepreneurs through the project. Japan is also contributing to the development of the ICT field in the public and private sectors of Rwanda through activities such as inviting over 20 ICT-related Japanese firms to Rwanda in 2018 to facilitate matching between Japanese and Rwandan firms in the field of ICT.

Furthermore, Japan conducts a program to increase the adoption of Japanese companies’ technologies that are useful for the socio-economic development of developing countries. This program is expected to help promote the adoption of Japanese private companies’ advanced technological capabilities and diverse know-how in partner countries.

1. Note 5: ICT is short for Information and Communications Technology. ICT is technology that integrates computers and other information technology with digital communication technology, as represented by the Internet and mobile phones.
2. Note 6: The 18 countries are Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Paraguay, the Philippines, Bolivia, Uruguay, Botswana, Guatemala, Honduras, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nicaragua, and El Salvador (as of December 2018).

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