Policy Statement of Japan
Mr. Tsukio Yoshio

Opening Remarks

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I am very honored to speak at this Plenipotentiary Conference. And on behalf of the Japanese government, I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Kingdom of Morocco and to the Moroccan people for their warm hospitality. Also, may I offer my sincere congratulations to Secretary of State Nasr Hajji for having been selected to chair this event.

Status of Japan's ICT Industry

Information and communication technology, or ICT, is an important element of social and economic infrastructure worldwide, and nowhere more so than in Japan. Although various structural reforms are taking place in my country, it cannot be denied that, just at the moment, the overall business climate for ICT is harsh in Japan. However, as evidenced by trends such as the sharp growth in broadband and the commencement of electronic government services, we can see growing signs of how ICT will provide a basis for new development.

Recognizing the strategic importance of ICT, in January 2001 the government published what is known as the e-Japan Strategy. This sets forth the goal of "making Japan one of the world's most advanced ICT nations within five years." The government is working steadily toward this goal.

The World Summit on the Information Society

In both industrialized nations and developing ones, ICT offers many benefits. It promotes economic, social, and cultural development. It also promotes exchanges between people in different countries, allowing them to form closer ties and more prosperous communities. This means that international cooperation in the ICT sector will be extremely important in the coming years.

The ITU is one of the main vehicles for this cooperation. The World Summit on the Information Society, in which the ITU plays a central role, will be held in December 2003 and again in 2005. Given the importance of ICT in leading economic development, I believe these meetings will be very timely.

To substantially contribute to the World Summit on the Information Society, Japan will host the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in Tokyo in January 2003. We will make every effort to produce a forward-looking output that will fully reflect the characteristics of the Asia-Pacific region.

As regards efforts by Japan in this field, earlier this year the Japanese government proposed the creation of an "Asia Broadband Program," and outlined goals and an action plan for enhancing broadband infrastructure in the region. The project would involve the participation of industry representatives and other knowledgeable, experienced people from across Asia, including Japan. Through this initiative, we aim to help promote the region's development through ICT. Furthermore, by presenting the plan at the World Summit on the Information Society as a model for international cooperation in the ICT arena, we will contribute to development efforts worldwide.

It is our hope that the World Summit on the Information Society will forge stronger ties between the ITU and other organizations, and in turn create real progress toward solving the problems that affect international society in the twenty-first century.

Conclusion

But if the ITU is to continue its essential contribution to the development of the global information society, it must have mechanisms in place to make decisions quickly and appropriately in the rapidly changing field of telecommunications. We have held many Councils and other meetings, over a long period of time, to discuss what kind of reforms we need to make in order to become that kind of organization. Japan strongly hopes that the Marrakech Plenipotentiary Conference will be the culmination of these efforts.

During the four weeks ahead, our delegation intends to do everything it can to help chart a detailed course for the ITU that will allow the Union to respond effectively to changing needs. We want very much to see a better ITU, for the sake of the organization itself, in the interests of Japan, and, most important of all, for the benefit of every country worldwide.

Thank you very much.