It is desirable to aim to create advanced cities while achieving a balance between the protection and utilization of personal information.
A revised law on national strategic special zones, which focuses on the "Super City Initiative" utilizing artificial intelligence and big data, has been enacted. The central government will designate local governments that show interest as special zones, realizing the system in the fiscal year 2022.
In special zones, the public and private sectors will work together to implement autonomous driving, remote medical care, cashless payments and other activities.
There are currently detailed requirements for autonomous driving, such as not impeding traffic safety. Although online medical examinations of new patients were authorized due to the spread of the new coronavirus, this is only a special measure.
The aim of the plan is to ease such regulations in a comprehensive manner in certain areas to enhance the convenience of residents.
The use of AI and big data is essential for the future development of cities. The central government should clarify the issues to be tackled in the special zones so that they can be implemented nationwide.
Deregulation will raise corporate productivity. The government needs to steadily encourage the creation of new industries. If a city that makes full use of information and communications technology becomes a reality, exports of technology and knowledge to emerging countries will enter the picture.
In rural areas, which are suffering from aging populations and population outflow, use will hopefully be made of self-driving buses and other technologies to maintain local infrastructure.
In special zones, a "data linkage platform" will be established to integrate information on residents and businesses. The revised law stipulates that central and local governments will provide data to companies involved in developing the platform.
AI analyzes the frequency at which daily necessities are purchased in each household, and a drone automatically delivers them. Sensors are installed throughout the city to prevent crimes. The initiative has a community like this in mind.
It is also true that there are concerns that personal information may be handled improperly.
During Diet deliberations, the government said that the consent of individuals must be obtained when their private information is provided to the companies. Safety rules must be established for information management in advance and shared with companies and local governments.
The initiative includes plans to build a new town on the empty site of a former factory or elsewhere, or to incorporate it into an existing town.
If the area is newly developed, applicants are expected to gather. First, successful examples in such areas should be accumulated. It would be realistic to then expand into areas where people already live after that. The important thing is to obtain the consent of local residents through careful explanations.
The delay in digitization in Japan has become clear once again through the measures against the coronavirus. The government should encourage companies to invest in information technology while nurturing experts.
-- This article appeared in the print version of The Yomiuri Shimbun on June 1, 2020.
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