The information and telecommunications industry is an essential foundation for the improvement of industrial competitiveness and the creation of new industries and businesses. The government should make government-wide and strategic efforts to develop infrastructure for the creation of an advanced information society under a medium-range plan. For this purpose, it should formulate a five-year plan covering the period from fiscal 1999 to 2003. This plan should be based on the items listed in the "Digital New Deal" project proposed by Keidanren.
A special secretariat with private-sector participation should be established within the Advanced Information Society Promotion Headquarters to enhance its capabilities to formulate this concept and promote the creation of an advanced information society. The promotional structure should be further expanded and strengthened through such measures as the allocation of key budgetary resources under the leadership of the prime minister and the introduction of a multiyear budgeting system.
Realization of affluent national lifestyles-Increase of Internet user population to 70 million (same as the number of people with driver licenses)
Strong industrial competitiveness-Expansion of electronic commerce transactions to ¥72 trillion by 2003
World-class "super digital government"-in principle, 100% network availability of administrative information and 100% paperless network processing of administrative procedures by the end of fiscal 2003
The world-class "super digital government" by 2003
Adoption of an "information literacy charter" and promotion of the use of computers in education
"Dream Network Project" to enrich national lifestyles and realize effective corporate management