Apr 1, 2010 - Mar 31, 2012

Comparative Legislative Information Project

This project is designed to analyze the use of public information, and to seek innovative ways to provide policy information with the help of latest digital technology. The government has steadily increased public information supply for citizens, and succeeded in launching the electronic government project. However, the policy information available mostly focuses on administrative activities, and our accessibility to legislative information is limited. Also, the government has not made a full-fledged effort to provide policy information in foreign languages, although it is essential to make information available in English in order to facilitate international understanding of Japanandrsquo;s policy activities. In this project, we create a gateway to integrate various sources of policy information, providing citizens with comprehensive, international, and universal access to public policy information including both administrative and legislative activities. We establish a research base at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, and work in cooperation with the University of Tokyo, the University of Kyoto, and the secretariat office of the Japanese Diet. 1．Analysis of Public Information: We examine the effectiveness of information supply, which has traditionally concentrated on administrative records management. 2．Comprehensive Access to Policy Information: We establish database on public information concerning legislative activities, and provide comprehensive accessibility to information, not limited to administrative activities. 3．International Access to Policy Information: We establish database on policy information in English, in order to improve international access to policy information and lay the foundation of international understanding. 4．Universal Access to Policy Information: We develop a portal site to provide citizens with universal access to public policy information, regardless of their knowledge and abilities to utilize information technology and language.