To further accelerate the infrastructure/system exports focusing on the smart community and the information and communication technology, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) adopted certain plans it will entrust to private companies for feasibility study toward success of specific business in emerging and other countries.

The global market on social infrastructures has been rapidly changing recently. In addition to developing or emerging countries, advanced countries are also experiencing a sharp growth of demand. This area is globally drawing attention with its considerable growth.

The governments of China and South Korea, those of European countries and the U.S. and others are positively participating and competing in this area in cooperation with private sectors, and have successfully made agreements on many business dealings.

In Japan, too, the government intends to promote infrastructure/system exports, where orders are placed for integrated infrastructures or systems including design, construction, maintenance and control rather than for just the delivery of individual devices and facilities. It considers such exports as an important measure in the New Growth Strategy. Also in the "Industrial Structure Vision 2010," the government formulated six cross-sectional measures and 11 strategies for individual fields so as to actively promote the infrastructure/system exports.

An example is the agreement between Japan and India to promote the concept of "Smart Community" under the Japan-India joint project called the "Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor" (DMIC) made during the visit to India in December 2009 by former Prime Minister Hatoyama. They envisaged a blanket project for urban development with consciousness for the environment taking advantage of Japan's environmental and system technologies. "Smart Community" is a new concept of urban development with a complicated and cross-sectional combination of Smart Grids, renewable energy, urban transportation, water treatment, recycling, information and communication technology and other environmental and system technology where Japan has an advantage. It is counted as one of 11 strategies for individual fields.

Strong promotion of overseas development of infrastructures and systems through public-private cooperation will enable Japan to contribute to environmental issues in Asian and other emerging countries during their rapid growth, and further, throughout the world in general. At the same time, it is an extremely important approach in Japan's industrial strategy.

This project supports feasibility studies conducted by Japanese enterprises in emerging and other countries for infrastructure/system exports focusing on the concept of Smart Community as well as the information and communication fields where demand is expected to grow in the future. Surveys and studies of business models required when Japanese enterprises develop their business in specific countries and cities (market analysis and project plans) will be carried out.

• Refer to the attached material (PDF:160KB) (in Japanese)

METI adopted 18 studies for FY 2011 so as to study possible business models.

METI will further study business models in the studies and accelerate success in specific businesses through inter-governmental dialogues and use of investment support schemes.

March 12, 2012

Information Economy Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau