With commercial web-based e-mail, we can check and send e-mails wherever we are. Still, trying to access in-house networks (intranets) from home or when outside on business can be troublesome or simply impossible: an inconvenience business people have often experienced. However, at universities, people are now able to read e-journals and access the university database from anywhere in the world as if in their own research room. This is made possible with an identity federation called GakuNin.Read article
Motonori Nakamura (Professor by Special Appointment, Academic Authentication Systems Office, Academic Infrastructure Division, Cyber Science Infrastructure Development Department, NII) / Junichi Taki (Editorial Writer and Senior Writer Nikkei Inc.)
Single Sign-on (SSO) enables seamless access to a range of services with a single ID and password. Content services such as e-journals can be accessed at anytime from anywhere. Once logged in to a certain service, there is no need for the user to re-login when going to a different service. The current user experience of library services has significantly improved thanks to the SSO-enabled GakuNin authentication service. The following looks into this improvement, and also at related trends in Japan and overseas.Read article
Hideaki Noda(Librarian, Academic Content Division, Chiba University Library of Health Sciences) / Fumiyo Moriya(Japan Alliance of University Library Consortia for E-Resources (JUSTICE) Secretariat, Library Liaison Cooperation Office, Cyber Science Infrastructure Development Department,NII) / Kazu Yamaji(Associate Professor, Academic Access Development Office, Cyber Science Infrastructure Division, Cyber Science Infrastructure Development Department, NII)
There has been an increase over recent years in individual universities' launching of cloud services. Using the cloud enables a reduction in the operating costs and management tasks involved in the email, web and storage services provided by individual universities to date. Furthermore, linking to the SINET academic information network and GakuNin makes application sharing among multiple universities easier and further reduces costs. The potential of the academic cloud is being further developed with the progressive integration of services offered to universities by commercial service providers.Read article
Madoka Aihara (Assistant Manager, Service & Tariff Planning Section, Corporate Planning Department, UQ Communications Inc.) / Masayoshi Setoyama (Solution Manager/Section Leader, Public Business Department, First Business Division, NTT Data Kyushu Corporation) / Shunji Abe (SINET Promotion Office Manager, Associate Professor, Information Systems Architecture Science Research Division, NII)
IT service improvement and cost reduction is an issue for universities and research institutions. IT managers from various educational institutions—national, public, private universities and colleges of technology (Kosen)—all with different perspectives on participation in GakuNin, gathered and told us about initiatives at their institutions and about how GakuNin helps solve problems. We also heard from IT managers' about their current challenges and requests they had for new services.Read article
Kaori Maeda (Deputy Director (Information Manager) and Information Processing Center Manager / Professor, Faculty of Information Sciences and Graduate School of Information Sciences, Hiroshima City University) / Kazuhiro Igarashi (Assistant Manager, Media Network Center, Seijo University) / Shinichi Tadaki (Professor, Director of Computer and Network Center, Saga University) / Tomoya Jin (Assistant Manager, Information Planning General Affairs Division, Headquarters Administration Office, Institute of National Colleges of Technology)
Once GakuNin can function as a collaborative infrastructure, seamless collaboration with overseas parties and commercial services will also become possible. For this to happen requires the building of a trust framework through which user information can be safely shared among participants. A trust framework enables identity federation in industry and academia, making it the potential foundation of a more secure and highly reliable online service.Read article
Hiroyuki Sato (Associate Professor, Information Technology Center, The University of Tokyo / OIX LoA 1 Assessor for GakuNin) / Natsuhiko Sakimura (Senior Researcher, Nomura Research Institute Ltd. / Open Identity Exchange Chairman) / Takeshi Nishimura (Specially Appointed Researcher, Academic Access Development Office, Cyber Science Infrastructure Division, Cyber Science Infrastructure Development Department, NII)
Solving Issues in the Real World with Mathematics. ? Read article
Ken-ichi Kawarabayashi (Professor, Principles of Informatics Research Division, NII) / Mariko Takahashi (Staff Writer, Tokyo Head Office, The Asahi Shimbun)
Whether delving into the enigma of the stars in the universe, or predicting the path of a typhoon, or maneuvering a robot, unless mathematics is present at the foundation, it is not possible to solve problems. However, mathematics is a discipline that began with the curiosity and the desire of human beings to learn, and mathematicians say that, similar to art, it possesses ‘a beauty’ that appeals to the emotions of human beings. We listen to a discussion about the attraction of doing research in mathematics and logic, from the significance of pure mathematics to mathematics that contributes to the world and, above all, mathematics that is applied to informatics.. ? Read article
Ken Satoh (Professor, Principles of Informatics Research Division, NII)/Makoto Tatsuta (Professor, Principles of Informatics Research Division, NII)/Ken Hayami (Professor, Principles of Informatics Research Division, NII)
Little by little, the Genome Project has identified the entire gene sequence of living organisms. They say that the genome of many life forms has already been unraveled but in actual fact the genomes are still gaps of sequences that have not been accurately clarified. New algorithms are attempting to fill in the unidentified gaps.In addition, a new approach to biological research is emerging with these algorithms. ? Read article
Takeaki Uno(Associate Professor, Principles of Informatics Research Division, NII) /Juzoh Umemori (Specially appointed researcher, N ational Institute of Genetics) / Tsuyoshi Koide (Associate Professor, National Institute of Genetics)
Where is the real thrill in studying mathematics, the foundation for science and, above all, the foundation for informatics? Sho Yamashita and Keiichi Morikuni, who are in the second year of the Five year Ph.D. course in Informatics at the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), and Mahmudul Faisal Al Ameen, who is in the third year of the Three year Ph.D. course at the same university, talk about what motivated them to aim for mathematics and why it is interesting. ? Read article
Keiichi Morikuni (Advisor: Professor Ken Hayami), Mahmudul Faisal Al Ameen(Advisor: Professor Makoto Tatsuta), Sho Yamashita(Advi sor: Associate Professor Makoto Kanazawa)
The one-hour session seemed very short, and a feeling of exhilaration came over me as it finished. That is how I felt the first time I attended a live performance of Rakugo, a traditional storytelling entertainment. ? Read article
Kunihiko Sadakane (Associate Professor, Principles of Informatics Research Division, NII)
