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- Interim Report 2.0 Released as Outcome of Meetings of the Expert Group on the Development of Digital Infrastructures (Data Centers (DCs), etc.)
Interim Report 2.0 Released as Outcome of Meetings of the Expert Group on the Development of Digital Infrastructures (Data Centers (DCs), etc.)
May 30, 2023
Joint Press Release with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) have been holding a series of meetings of the Expert Group on the Development of Digital Infrastructures (DCs, etc.), focusing on the development of digital infrastructures, whose importance is increasing, and aiming not only to discuss requirements for locations of the infrastructures, such as strengthened resilience and secure energy and communications, but also to soundly foster companies that are expected to become leaders in their development from the perspective of economic security.
On May 30, 2023, today, METI and MIC hereby jointly release the “Expert Group on the Development of Digital Infrastructures (DCs, etc.): Interim Report 2.0” based on the discussion results of the group.
1. Purpose
As digitalization is advancing in society and industries, it is expected that companies in all fields, including medical care, education, transportation and agriculture, will launch new businesses that leverage data and solve societal challenges through such businesses. Amid such expectations, higher importance has been placed on “digital infrastructures” that play a role in collecting, transmitting and processing data, such as 5G, communication networks and data centers (DCs).
The Government of Japan has been advancing measures for developing digital infrastructures, including efforts for promoting further decentralization of data center locations, from the viewpoint of strengthening the resilience of such infrastructures against natural disasters, etc., and taking actions for the use of carbon-free power sources, while also taking into consideration the “Expert Group on the Development of Digital Infrastructures (DCs, etc.): Interim Report.”
Recently, drastic changes are occurring in the international community and the economy of Japan, such as changes in international affairs and the security environment, technological advances in next-generation computing platforms and systems, (e.g., AI and quantum computers), concerns about electricity supply and demand in association with the advancement of digital transformation (DX), and growing social demand for green transformation (GX). In concert with these changes, Japan’s political and national significance, which is a prerequisite for advancing the development of its digital infrastructures, has been changing significantly.
Against this backdrop, METI and MIC consider it important to review the current situations of digital infrastructures as well as a variety of changes in such situations that may have an impact on them and, based on the review, to hold discussions anew on ideal approaches to and other factors related to the development of digital infrastructures. To this end, in March 2023, the ministries resumed a series of meetings of the Expert Group on the Development of Digital Infrastructures (DCs, etc.). Bringing together experts, company stakeholders and personnel in charge from the ministries and agencies who are involved in the field of digital infrastructures, the group shared information and exchanged views on future directions of the policies.
On May 30, 2023, METI and MIC hereby jointly release the “Expert Group on the Development of Digital Infrastructures (DCs, etc.): Interim Report 2.0” based on the discussion results of the group. The ministries will consider this interim report and appropriately advance the development of digital infrastructures.
2. Details of the Interim Report 2.0
Division in Charge
Digital Infrastructure Policy Office, IT Industry Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau
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