Japan and the Philippines announced plans this week to increase cooperation in the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) sector, a step that is expected to not only boost business and commerce opportunities between the two nations, but also facilitate the sharing of emergency relief technologies.
The announcement was made during a joint statement released by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and the Philippine’s Department of Science and Technology (DoST). According to the statement, the two countries will “encourage the development of cooperation and exchange of experiences and best practices in the field of ICT between business, research and development, educational institutions, government policy and regulatory agencies and other organizations.”
The two sides affirmed their commitment to ICT cooperation, calling the agreement “a major factor in the promotion and advancement of commerce as well as the social and economic development of each country.”
Under the agreement, Japan and the Philippines will work together to develop digital security policies designed to protect and promote e-commerce and information network platforms, as well as pursue strategies for creating sustainable “green growth” in the ICT sector.
The MIC and DoST will also work together to sponsor a memorandum of cooperation between the two countries for the promotion of emergency communication technologies, such as Japan’s Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) system, which allows emergency broadcast to be aired on all digital televisions within the network.
“By the time the next typhoon comes in, which will be around July, we are ready to embark on a working level activity in order to materialize on this objective,” said Yoshitaka Shindo, Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
The ISDB-T technology, which is standard throughout Japan, may be utilized as an early-warning emergency signal in the case of natural disasters and is capable of turning on televisions if the warning is considered crucial.
“The adoption of ISDB-T will further strengthen the relationship between Japan and the Philippines in a variety of areas, including the fields of economy, investment, cultural exchange, technology exchange, and human resource exchange, thus providing Japanese enterprises with opportunities of international expansion not only in the field of broadcasting but also in the entire field of ICT,” said the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in a statement released last November.
The joint development and dissemination of ICT technology has long been a priority of the Japanese government, starting in 2001 with the establishment of the Strategic Headquarters for the Promotion of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Network Society, which promotes ICT cooperation throughout Asia with the support of the Japanese Cabinet.
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