(1) Significance of Informatics Research
(2) Need for a New Research Institution
(1) Basic Policy
(2) Core Research Fields
(3) Interdisciplinary and Integrated Research Fields
(4) Contribution to the Development of Science Information Infrastructure
(1) Basic Policy
(2) Specific Measures
(3) Evaluation
(1) Basic Policy
(2) Research Divisions
(3) Administration Department (provisional name)
(4) Development and Operations Department (provisional name)
(5) Attached Facilities
(6) Evaluation Committee (provisional name)
(7) Advisory Board (provisional name)
(8) Board of Councilors
(9) Advisory Council for Research and Management
Based on a recommendation of the Science Council of Japan entitled "Promoting Computer Science Research" (May 1997) and a proposal of the Science Council of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture entitled "Policy for Promoting Informatics Research" (January 1998), the Ministry launched the Advisory Panel on a Core Institution for Scientific Research in the Information Field. In March 1998, the Panel compiled a report which recommended that a core research institution of informatics be established as an inter-university research institute by reorganizing and expanding the National Center for Science Information Systems (NACSIS). The Committee on an Institution of Informatics was established in May 1998 according to the decision of the Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture "Guidelines concerning the Preliminary Study on an Institution of Informatics" to examine important items concerning the preliminary study including organization and administration of the institution of informatics.
The Committee examined the fundamentals of the institution of informatics and announced an interim report broadly in August 1998. Further consideration was made based on the opinions collected from the related organizations with regard to the interim report.
The present report is to conclude the deliberation of the Committee.
Research on information is drawing attention as a frontier of scientific research in the twenty-first century. Informatics forms a foundation for the development of every academic field and it gives rise to new research themes and methods through interaction between many academic fields. With its application, informatics also has a significant effect on all aspects of industry, economy, culture and people's life in and outside the country.
1) Significance in the Promotion of Scientific Research
It is anticipated that the methods to handle information in an integrated and systematic way can be created by undertaking synthetic study of information. Making use of concepts, methods and technologies on information in all academic fields and pursuing informatics research under the interdisciplinary and international research system can also contribute to the development of scholarship as a whole.
In addition, information processing technologies arising from the study of informatics will provide powerful means for advancing research in a wide array of academic fields. In particular, as the development of creative software concepts is important, open and dynamic research system to encourage such development is called for.
However, the pool of researchers in the information field in Japan is less sufficient than in other developed countries. In order to assume the world leadership in the information field in the years ahead, research activity focused on software development should be drastically enhanced and human resource development in this field should be promoted as well.
On the other hand, since the range of academic fields related to information is extremely broad, it is anticipated that new academic fields would be created through cooperative activities with related fields. Besides, an academic field to study the society from the viewpoint of exchange, distribution and creation of information is taking form.
In general, the basic issues related to information which confront many academic fields can probably be solved by making use of the knowledge offered by the research fields on information. Essentially, issues of this sort arise in practical arenas of the society, and the study on these issues represents an opportunity to expand the range of application to new areas. Moreover, the results of such research should be utilized back in those arenas from which the issues originated.
2) Significance in the Promotion of Science Information Infrastructure
The science information infrastructure to promote scientific research needs to be highly advanced in all aspects of networks, contents and applications as NACSIS has tried in its development and maintenance. This can only be accomplished by feeding back immediately the results of informatics research to the efforts to maintain and enhance the science information infrastructure. Building the science information infrastructure based on a variety of demands from many sources including the users of science information is expected to provide new impetus to informatics research. In addition, informatics plays an extremely important role in promoting scientific research through the building of science information infrastructure.
3) Significance for Economy, Society and Culture
The results of informatics research can be applied to most of the areas, not only in scientific research but in social life, economic activities, and so on. As computer performance becomes faster and telecommunication areas grow wider, it will also be possible to find solutions to the problems arising from the increasing complexity in a variety of areas. In this way, the study on information constitutes an element in the foundation of national power bringing about industrial and economic expansion and diversification, and makes a great contribution to the promotion of people's life and culture.
Advancement of information processing technologies, broadening of information networks, increasing diversity of electronic presentations and growing use of multimedia are making it possible for information to be distributed beyond restriction by time and space. Following this trend toward dependence on information, it is expected that the flow of and demand for cultural information as well as information related to industry and economy will increase and more creative cultural and artistic activities will be promoted.
Information-related industries have developed in a series where advances of information processing technologies led to the creation of new industries and the new industries, in turn, helped to promote the existing industries. In the information field, the role of scientific research to identify the origins of new technologies and lead them to practical application is extremely important. Encouraging such research will also contribute to the promotion of information-related industries, the creation of new industries and the subsequent expansion of employment.
On the other hand, a large number of issues which the whole society should deal with can be pointed out with regard to information; for example, protecting privacy, ensuring security and eliminating information disparities. In order to find the solutions to these issues, it is essential to promote synthetic research of informatics.
Japan's universities have been introducing a considerable number of faculties and postgraduate divisions with "information" in their names. It is expected that in future a core research institution of informatics be established with a broad outlook ranging from basic to applied research, to strengthen the organization of research and promote exchange and cooperation among researchers in this field.
Since the interdisciplinary nature of informatics is particularly intense, it is desirable to provide a space for the interaction of researchers and the exchange of research information beyond the boundaries of traditional research fields. It is in such a space that a mechanism to stimulate the progressive and creative originality of young researchers and motivate their ambitious research is needed.
In addition, it is advisable to contribute to the remarkable enhancement of research level and the fostering of excellent young researchers by building up a good environment where maintaining a group of capable researchers especially young fellows encourages informatics research and the advances in informatics nurture new researchers. Furthermore, it is an urgent task toward the advanced information society of the twenty-first century to foster personnel who have prominent knowledge and vision on information as well as engineers capable of building excellent information systems.
In order to meet these demands and expectations of academic and societal aspects, it has become an issue of pressing need to from an organization to act as the core of scientific research on information and accelerate significant advancement of informatics research in Japan in cooperation with other research institutions. The most appropriate way to deal with this issue is, in the light of the present state of affairs, to establish immediately a core research institution with NACSIS being its nucleus.
In the new research institution, it is necessary to fully recognize the role and achievements of NACSIS in collecting, organizing, and providing scientific information as well as research and development and human resource development in this field and to take over its function. In addition to that, it is required to enhance this foundation using the latest technologies, to nurture personnel in the information field, to pursue the issues which are socially important but difficult to handle for industries and universities, and to further improve the science information infrastructure.
The name of the research institution should be the "National Institute of Informatics" (provisional).
The purpose of the research institution should be to perform synthetic research and development on information, and services on the development and improvement of science information infrastructure and the application of scientific information, as well as to contribute to the fostering of specialists in the information field.
The research institution should be established as an inter-university research institute by reorganizing and expanding the function of NACSIS.
The location of the research institution should be determined taking into consideration the effective use of the existing facilities of NACSIS.
For the composition of the research fields supporting the advancement of informatics or scientific study on information, two orientations are important: "core research fields" covering diverse areas ranging from basic to applied research taking into account the present structure of academic disciplines, and "interdisciplinary and integrated research fields" based on the creation of new academic fields through cooperation with related fields and the practical application of the newly originated ideas.
The fields of research in informatics which the research institution should cover can be divided into the following seven areas.
1) Research Area on Basis of Informatics and Software
This area embraces the research into information itself as well as the basic theory of software. It consists of the following research fields among others:
- Fields aiming at the systemization of informatics (basic informatics, semiotics, library and information science, etc.)
- Fields providing the mathematical foundation for information and data processing (information mathematics, algorithm design, algorithm analysis, etc.)
- Fields on the modeling and practical application of numerical and computational concepts (programming languages, numerical computation, computation model, etc.)
2) Research Area on Architecture
This area embraces the research into computer systems and computer networking technologies which form the foundation of informatics. It consists of the following research fields among others:
- Fields on the structure and construction of computer systems and computer networks (computer architecture, network architecture, etc.)
- Fields on the improvement of performance and functionality (parallel distributed system, high performance network, etc.)
- Fields supporting the realization of new architectures (computer aided design, network control, etc.)
3) Research Area on Building Software Systems
This area covers the research fields to study the software methodologies in informatics and the application of important constituent technologies. It consists of the following research fields among others:
- Fields of fundamental research on design theory and development methods of information systems in general (software engineering, system software, etc.)
- Fields on the information systems focused on the accumulation and sharing of information as well as dissemination of information to meet the needs of users (database system, information retrieval, etc.)
- Fields to study the diversity of data handled in information systems from the viewpoint of presentation formats, display media and processing media (image processing, speech information processing, text processing, computer graphics, integrated media processing system, etc.)
- Fields aiming at solving problems affecting the use of information systems mainly via networks (distributed information system, network security, etc.)
4) Research Area on Relation between Intelligence and Information
This area covers the research on intelligent information processing of human beings and computers as well as the interaction between them. It consists of the following research fields among others:
- Fields aimed at elucidating the information processing mechanisms of human being (cognitive information processing, etc.)
- Fields aimed at realizing the intelligent information processing technologies with computers (knowledge processing, machine learning, computing intelligence, etc.)
- Fields aimed at realizing the intelligent systems to support and take over human work (robotics, etc.)
- Fields aimed at fixing the processing technology of language, the most basic medium to present human intellectual activities (natural language processing, etc.)
- Fields establishing and applying the theories on the interaction between human being and computer (human-machine interaction, etc.)
5) Research Area on Relation between Society and Information
This area covers the research on information-related problems arising in the society. It consists of the following research fields among others:
- Basic research fields to study the relation between society and information (socio-informatics, etc.)
- Fields to study the mathematical methods indispensable to the research on society and information (informetrics, etc.)
- Fields to study the information flow necessary for the society from the viewpoint of management and utilization of information (information management, information use, etc.)
- Fields dealing with specific and actual social issues (legislation on information, etc.)
6) Research Area on Relation between Scientific Research and Information
This area covers the research to study the system for effective operation of scientific research by investigating the relation between scientific research and scientific information. It consists of the following research fields among others:
- Fields of study on production and utilization of scientific information (distribution system of scientific information, etc.)
- Fields of study on the trends of scientific research in humanities and social sciences, natural science and engineering and life sciences (study of research trends in humanities and social sciences, natural science and engineering and life sciences, etc.)
- Fields of study on the evaluation of scientific research (research evaluation studies, comparative scientific policy studies, etc.)
7) Research Area for Practical Application of Informatics to Other Academic Fields
In this area, the latest findings in informatics are applied to other academic fields and new fields of research are established beyond the traditional disciplinary scheme according to particular problems and methods.
Examples of new research fields which are being established through such application include bioinformatics, medical informatics, educational informatics, legal informatics, economic informatics and environmental informatics. It is anticipated that the range of such fields will further expand in future.
In order to retain the openness to other academic fields and promote the interaction between basic research areas of informatics and other fields, flexible operation of research system and research organization is required.
For the promotion of informatics, interdisciplinary and integrated research in addition to the core areas of research mentioned above plays an important role.
It is anticipated that, in highly interdisciplinary research fields, universal theories and technologies on the handling of information will be systematized crossing over a wide range of fields from natural science and engineering to social and human sciences, leading to the creation of new disciplines. Research themes such as information ethics, information environments and multilingual informatics are the examples.
In research fields with a high degree of integration, it is expected that new ideas arising from the interaction among multiple core fields will be immediately applied and developed for practice in the form of software. The examples include research themes such as information security and electronic library system.
The research institution should take up suitable transverse research themes which are considered very important in the light of the stage of academic development and the social demands and promote these themes in close cooperation with the core research fields. In this case, it is important to take full account of the individual nature of each research theme and conduct the research under such appropriate system as collaborative research projects and the like.
It will make an important contribution to the development of scientific research in general to make practical use of the results of original research in the various fields mentioned above in the development of science information infrastructure which serves as the ground for collecting, organizing, disseminating and utilizing scientific information. Moreover, it is hoped that informatics research will be further enhanced by dealing with the research themes essential to the development of the advanced infrastructure for scientific information as well as other themes requiring solutions.
The research institution should promote research with the aim of contributing to remarkable development of informatics. The following points should be borne in mind as the basic guidelines in establishing the research system:
In research and development in the information field, efforts should be made to build a research system encouraging the development of prototypes as the result of basic research and the subsequent development of practical systems, since it is anticipated that the creation of superb concepts of software and the development of refined software will arise from the building of software and system models. In addition, it is recommended to encourage the employment of a wide range of personnel and the enthusiastic participation in research activities of young researchers including postgraduate students.
Furthermore, the means to maintain and manage intellectual property rights should be considered in detail in order to utilize properly the fruits of such research and development as well as the useful technologies and research resources owned by other institutions.
Beside the promotion of key research in various areas of the core research fields aiming at remarkable development of informatics research, it is desirable to organize the research system based on the points listed below as the specific measures to fulfill the role of core research institution.
1) Promotion of Collaborative Research Projects
By promoting collaborative research projects, transverse collaboration among the research areas in the research institution should be encouraged and research should be developed to enable the application of the results of basic research at universities to the practical systems. The complementary relationship with National Test and Research Institutes run by other governmental ministries and agencies as well as private research institutes will help to increase the depth of scholarship. In addition, the research institution should try to adapt flexibly to the changes of technology and society through active collaboration and cooperation with other research institutes not only of natural sciences but of social and human sciences. It is desirable that open research projects should be undertaken inviting the submission of research themes, in consideration of the interdisciplinary development of research, development aimed at practical application and commercialization, and collaboration and cooperation with the industrial sector.
In carrying out the collaborative research projects, it is effective to promote the short-term engagement of researchers from other research institutes of governmental and private sectors with a view of ensuring flexibility and mobility.
2) Promotion of International Research Activities
In the light of the fact that information has international nature in itself, it is important for the research institution to make a contribution to international research activities and to promote its own internationalization. To this end, efforts should be made to carry out the operation open to international research community, invite from abroad experienced scholars and renowned researchers in the information field to participate if needed, and promote personnel exchanges by appointing foreign researchers, inviting foreign visiting fellows and postgraduate students and sending young researchers to overseas assignments. Collaborative research projects with foreign institutions should also be implemented to promote international research workshops vigorously. Contributions to international standardization should be made as well.
3) Openness and Mobility in Appointments
Special consideration should be given to internationality, openness and mobility in appointing researchers. With regard to the appointment of researchers on a permanent basis, introduction of the systems of open recruitment and limited terms of office should be considered and flexible operation of the existing system should be pursued including the concurrent post system of public servants engaged in research and education as well as the system of endowed research departments. It would be desirable that the system of visiting researcher departments and flexible research departments is utilized so that researchers of universities and related research institutions including private organizations may become affiliated with the research institution and participate in its research activities. In addition, it should be considered to actively provide postdoctoral fellows with research opportunities making use of various schemes.
4) Collaboration with Graduate Schools
It is advisable that, by collaborating with graduate schools and organizing a graduate course, a system to allow graduate students to participate in research activities of the research institution be established. It would also be effective to make up networks for joint research activities based on the cooperation with graduate schools with the research institution as its core and to contribute to the education of graduate schools through them.
In collaborating with graduate schools, attention should be paid to maintaining the openness and to helping the refreshment of researchers working in the society. The concrete form of collaboration should be examined taking into consideration the achievement of collaboration in other inter-university research institutes.
5) Distributed Research System
In the joint research work in which many research institutes take part, efficient and effective research performance can be expected by introducing the distributed research system with the help of networks.
In order to carry out the studies difficult to handle in a conventional research scheme or the research based on regional character and the connection between information and regional culture, the establishment of a "research center" should be considered positively.
6) Development Research System
As the evolution from basic research to practical application in the society is crucial in academic fields which deal with information, development research assumes a significant role as the final stage in this evolution. Therefore, it is necessary to organize a development research system to operate the cycle from basic to applied research with flexibility, which should be borne in mind in designing the structure of research divisions and research departments. Also, the aspects which could not be evaluated with the existing evaluation methods of academic research such as development results, standardization and impact on the society should be considered in establishing the evaluation standards.
In accordance with the proposal of the Science Council entitled "Proposals on the Evaluation in Scientific Research" (December 1997), the evaluation of research and development of the research institution should be carried out at an appropriate time by an evaluating organization comprising experienced scholars, domestic and foreign, including researchers utilizing the service of the research institution, and the results should be announced publicly. With regard to the specific evaluation standards for research and development, in addition to the common evaluation methods for scientific research, new criteria should be introduced according to the contents of research and development such as patents and developed software.
The development and operations of the research institution should also be reviewed in terms of contents and scope making reference to the evaluation results.
NACSIS, which will form the nucleus of the new research institution, has been undertaking the central function to support the science information system in Japan through the construction and operation of the science information network, the formation and dissemination of science information database and the education and training programs for university library staff. In this connection, it is imperative for the research institution to regard these operations and programs for developing science information infrastructure as incorporated with the advanced research and development on information and to pursue their improvement and international evolution in cooperation with such related institutions as university libraries and academic societies, thus contributing to the reinforcement of Japan’s scientific research system.
It is through the interaction with practical systems pursuant to internationality and the society that the significant enhancement of research and development in the information field can be anticipated. Especially, the development of systems for the building of science information infrastructure and the services to operate them, that is to say the development and operations, not only provide scientific information to researchers but also serve as a stage for practical application of research results on information as well as significant incentive to research and development. In recognition of this view, the research institution should facilitate the active participation of researchers in the building of science information infrastructure through the organization for development research.
The research institution is required to develop and maintain very high-grade research in the information field broadly and persistently, integrating research ranging from basic to applied and from theoretical to practical, and promote interdisciplinary, synthetic and international research activities. In this connection, it is appropriate to set up the following organizations with the research divisions forming the organizational core.
The research divisions and the research departments should be organized on the basis of the fields specified in "6 Fields of Research" and according to the priority in necessity. In order to realize a flexible research system, the structure of the research divisions and the staff organization should conform to the way of conducting research in such specific types as joint research and development for practical application. Sufficient consideration should also be given to the utilization of visiting researcher departments and flexible research departments.
The Administration Department should conduct administrative service of the research institution concerning general affairs, accounting, research cooperation and international exchanges. In particular, it is essential to establish a functional support system for research, since it is expected that the research institution should actively promote joint research projects and international research activities.
The Development and Operations Department should perform its activities based on the concept described in "8 Development and Operations on Science Information Infrastructure." Namely, it should conduct, in cooperation with the research organizations of the institution, the services related to systems development and operations such as constructing and operating the science information infrastructure consisting of databases and networks, obtaining, maintaining and managing intellectual property rights concerning the research results, and collaborating and cooperating with university libraries and academic societies. Consequently, the Development and Operations Department will require a considerable number of support staff.
Facilities to support the research divisions by providing the solution to specific issues or with other particular goals should be attached to the research institution.
For example, a Center for Feasibility Study (provisional name) may be established to promote interdisciplinary, synthetic and international research by implementing research projects in collaboration with National Test and Research Institutes and research institutions of private sector. A possible example would be a network testbed center for advanced research on high-speed network.
A Center for Information Research Resource (provisional name) may also be established to enhance the effectiveness of research and development. It would operate and manage the research infrastructure consisting of hardware and software resources and documents, maintain and manage the information resources necessary for informatics research and offer them for common use by informatics researchers throughout Japan.
Besides, an Education and Training Center (provisional name) may be established to provide education and training to the users of the services conducted by the Development and Operations Department for their efficient and effective implementation.
The Evaluation Committee should evaluate the research and development and operations of the research institution. The committee members should be appointed by the Director General from among experienced scholars in and outside the country.
The Advisory Board should respond to the inquiries of the Director General on general issues regarding informatics and science information infrastructure.
The Board of Councilors should advise the Director General on the work plans and other important matters regarding management and administration of the research institution.
It should be established according to the Regulations on the Organization and Administration of Inter-University Research Institutes (Ordinance of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture No. 12 of 1977).
The Advisory Council for Research and Management should respond to the inquiries of the Director General on matters regarding the joint research programs of the research institution and other important items regarding administration of the institution as deemed necessary by the Director General.
It should be established according to the Regulations on the Organization and Administration of Inter-University Research Institutes (Ordinance of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture No. 12 of 1977).
Based on the urgency of establishing a core institution for scientific research of informatics in Japan, the Committee on an Institution of Informatics took intensive examination convening three meetings of the committee, two of the First and Second Subcommittees respectively, and two of the drafting group. The interim report containing the results of deliberation was prepared and made open to the public to ask for opinions from a variety of viewpoints. The present report was finalized after further consideration in three meetings of the committee and three of the drafting group. The committee is honored to appreciate the precious views and suggestions contributed by the organizations and persons concerned.
It is the wish of the committee that the ideas incorporated in this report be properly reflected in establishing the core research institution of informatics.
Toshiharu AOKI, Vice President, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT)
Yasuyoshi INAGAKI, Dean, School of Engineering, Nagoya University
Hitoshi INOUE, Deputy Director General, National Center for Science Information Systems (NACSIS)
Hiroshi INOSE, Director General, NACSIS
Takayasu OKUSHIMA, President, Waseda University
Nobuaki KUMAGAI, Professor Emeritus, Osaka University
Member of Council for Science and Technology* Yasuharu SUEMATSU, President, Kochi University of Technology
Hirotaka SUGAWARA, Director General, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)
Mikio TAKAGI, Professor, Faculty of Industrial Science and Technology, Science University of Tokyo
Yasutsugu TAKEDA, Senior Executive Managing Director, Hitachi, Ltd.
Michiko TENMA, Professor Emeritus, Tsuda College
Norihisa DOI, Professor, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University
** Wataru MORI, Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo
Hiroyuki YOSHIKAWA, President, The University of the Air
President, Science Council of JapanKahei ROKUMOTO, University Librarian, The University of Tokyo
** : Chairperson, * : Vice Chairperson
(Members)
Yasuyoshi INAGAKI, Dean, School of Engineering, Nagoya University
Hiroshi INOSE, Director General, NACSIS
* Yasuharu SUEMATSU, President, Kochi University of Technology
Kahei ROKUMOTO, University Librarian, The University of Tokyo
(Expert Members)
Takayasu ITO, Professor, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University
Genshiro KITAGAWA, Director of Project Coordination, Institute of Statistical Mathematics
Takashi GOJOBORI, Professor, National Institute of Genetics
Masao SAKAUCHI, Director General, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo
Masamitsu NEGISHI, Professor, NACSIS
Tamiko MATSUMURA, Professor, School of Life Studies, Sugiyama Jogakuen University
Yasuhiko YASUDA, Professor, School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University
* : Chief
(Members)
Toshiharu AOKI, Vice President, NTT
Nobuaki KUMAGAI, Professor Emeritus, Osaka University
Member of Council for Science and Technology* Mikio TAKAGI, Professor, Faculty of Industrial Science and Technology, Science University of Tokyo
Yasutsugu TAKEDA, Senior Executive Managing Director, Hitachi, Ltd.
Norihisa DOI, Professor,Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University
(Expert Members)
Shoichiro ASANO, Professor, NACSIS
Setsuo ARIKAWA, Professor, Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, Kyushu University
Yuichiro ANZAI, Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University
Katsuo IKEDA, Dean, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University
Takayasu ITO, Professor, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University
Hisatake KATO, Professor, Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University
Akinori YONEZAWA, Professor, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo
* : Chief