The IT revolution in Japan has thus far been centred on the spread of such hardware as mobile phones and personal computers. The real revolution in production methods and lifestyles brought on by the use of IT has not yet fully come to pass. The realisation of the real IT revolution would be enough to surmount the current 'IT recession'. In March 2000, it was decided at a Cabinet meeting, to submit a "bill to amend the Social Welfare Service Law". to the Diet for approval. The reforms were expected to contribute to the proper enforcement of the Long-term Care Insurance System enacted as of April 2000. A key goal of the recommendations was to improve the quality and accountability of service by decentralising the decision-making process from administrative organisations to a system in which users choose the services in a fair relationship with service providers, based on prefectural and municipal social welfare plans. These changes will result in far greater opportunities for flexible incorporation of ICT-related innovation within the social welfare system, that should benefit the elderly.
By carrying out intensive and comprehensive IT measures based on the e-Japan 2002 Program, the goals presented in the e-Japan Strategy will be achieved and Japan's socio-economic structures will be transformed through the promotion of the IT revolution.
The introduction of IT standards for apartments constructed by the Housing Corporation will for example facilitate high-speed Internet access in apartment complexes, public housing, etc. covering a cross-section of the population, including seniors, who will benefit from having such infrastructure in place.
The dilemma Japan faces today is that of a private sector sitting on a huge surplus of capital and investing far too little for the needs of our age. In Japan, less than 20% of business investment relates to new IT, compared with more than 40% in the United States. Japan falls far behind other nations in embracing the IT revolution. Internet usage in Japan is at the lowest level among major industrial nations and is by no means high even comparable with other nations in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan lags behind others even in terms of how widely IT is used in businesses and public administration.
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