IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Digital tools launched in a Japanese smart city that can send disaster alerts to safeguard residents are part of an optional technology push aiming to overcome social and economic challenges, while also allaying privacy fears.

The smartphone alerts were introduced in Aizuwakamatsu city, Fukushima prefecture, last week by consultancy firm Accenture, which has worked with researchers to revitalise the city using technology since a devastating earthquake in 2011.

In partnership with Fujitsu, the new on-campus cloud system enables key services on the university’s homepage and other servers even during disasters or blackouts in the Kansai region.

In der japanischen Verwaltung muss künftig Software bevorzugt werden, die sich an offene Standards wie das Dokumentenformat ODF (Open Document Format) hält. Dies hat das japanische Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Handel und Industrie kürzlich entschieden. Bislang wurde bei Ausschreibungen jene Software bevorzugt, die sich an marktdominierenden Produkten wie etwa Microsoft Office orientiert. In Zukunft muss ein Programm mit allen internationalen, offenen Dateiformaten zu Recht kommen.

• Memorandum of understanding signed
• Package of pilot projects planned
• Port records sharp increase in traffic

Jordan has launched a project to build a smart city at its southern Aqaba port with technical assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (Aseza) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with JICA, which has been involved in several development projects in Jordan.

The memo also focuses on data, e-payment, digital identity, sustainable IT and smart city technology

Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Ahmad Hanandeh and Japan’s Minister for Digital Transformation Kono Taro on Tuesday signed a memorandum of cooperation to enhance technical cooperation and expertise exchange on digital transformation.

The memo aims to enhance opportunities for collaboration in information and communication technology (ICT), innovation and digital transformation.

If there’s one thing Japan is famous for, it’s infrastructure. From the thousands of miles of high-speed rail tracks that duck and weave between the mountainous terrain to the artificial islands that pepper the harbours of Tokyo and Osaka, Japan uses its land wisely to not only thrive, but to innovate.

It would be easy to lean on the already-excellent highways and bullet train networks that are fairly future-proof as it stands, but that kind of complacency doesn’t wash in Japan. You can get a sense of Japan’s commitment to futuristic infrastructure by looking at the under-construction.

Japanese trading house Mitsui and telecom operator KDDI have launched a company to develop digital platforms for so-called smart cities.

The project will offer a platform for municipalities and businesses to develop next-generation transportation systems and commercial facilities.

The companies say it can be used to operate self-driving buses and optimize customer traffic.

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has been in talks with Kamakura City's municipal government about developing its urban core and surrounding region into a smart city. Recently, our partnership joined forces with four other interests to commence a pilot project that will combine autonomous-driving technologies and healthcare services in Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan iPark). Along with Shonan iPark, our other partners on this project are Tokushukai Shonan Kamakura General Hospital (Kamakura General), Macnica, Inc. and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.

• Layer X, a Japanese-based company has recently announced the development of an electronic voting system based on a blockchain protocol as part of a wider “smart city“ project that is being pursued by Tsukuba city.
• Located in Tokyo, the company has said that the new system will need to meet the technical needs of electronic voting and on top of this, it will include the prevention of double voting.

Layer X, a Japanese-based company has recently announced the development of an electronic voting system based on a blockchain protocol as part of a wider “smart city“ project that is being pursued by Tsukuba city.

“Kashiwanoha Smart City” in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, is about to become a place for demonstration experiments utilizing the entire city. Promoted by Mitsui Fudosan, Kashiwanoha Urban Design Center and Kashiwa City. The University of Tokyo (University of Tokyo), Chiba University, and others also joined and started as a demonstration platform called “Innovation Field Kashiwanoha” in collaboration with civil society.

Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City was launched with the opening of the Tsukuba Express in 2005 as a flagship project for the smart city strategy. It features a compact cityscape with houses, commercial facilities, offices, hotels, hospitals, universities, parks, etc., within a radius of about 3 km.

Even as the novel coronavirus pandemic throws the global economy into turmoil and as commercial activities are paralyzed in Japan under the state of emergency declared by the government, at least one sector is seeing an expansion in demand — “virtual” business models and online transactions that do not involve face-to-face meetings.

Hiroshi Mikitani, chairman and CEO of Rakuten Inc., the massive operator of online shopping malls, says the group is doing brisk business — except for its travel unit. Government “stay-home” requests have sharply reduced demand for travel, but the growing thirst for internet-based services is making up for the losses. E-commerce by consumers buying daily necessities, web-based securities trade, viewership for videos and sports events, and videoconferences on social media are on the rise.

Today, many people are talking about ‘smart cities’ in the world. In fact, pilot projects are going on in some places while in advanced regions concrete projects are being implemented. As Japan has tackled smart-city development for more than 10 years, I am pleased to share with a receptive Jamaican audience Japan’s experience of developing smart cities for future reference of smart-city development in Jamaica.

The Land Readjustment and Urban Development Forum held in Tokyo last October brought together professionals from municipalities, academia and the private sector to examine digital transformation in community development. Themed “Land Readjustment and Digital Transformation - From Disaster Prevention and Consensus Building to Urban Management,” the event featured speeches and discussion on data-driven approaches to town planning involving multiple land parcels.

Unlike previous gatherings, the forum’s panel discussion included experts from external organizations such as NTT, reflecting the industry’s growing awareness.

With its ambitious project to build Woven City — a fully-connected, human-centered city at the base of Mount Fuji — Toyota Motor Corp. aims to become a world leader in smart city technology.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a rethink of how people move and live, and has reinforced the need to create technology that supports “happy, healthy” human life, says Toyota Chief Digital Officer James Kuffner.

"A swarm of different technologies are beginning to radically change how we inhabit and navigate our cities."

Toyota's futuristic "smart city" featuring the latest green technologies, including hydrogen power and driverless vehicles, is expected to welcome its first residents by the end of this year.

Located on Honshū Island, Japan, the carmaker's sustainable "Woven City" sits just miles from Mount Fuji and will serve as a "living laboratory" for residents and researchers to test advanced technologies — including driverless cars, robotics, smart homes, and artificial intelligence — in a real-world setting, per a company news release.

As well as working with the Japanese city’s municipal government on the driverless project, Mitsubishi Corporation has been nominated as a private sector partner in Kamakura’s Super City concept.

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is working with the Japanese municipal government of Kamakura City on a smart city driverless vehicle pilot for healthcare services in the cities of Kamakura and Fujisawa.