In Japan, the private sector, including universities, companies, individuals, etc., has been the driving force behind the propagation of the Internet. So some may feel a little strange about the fact that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) is strongly supporting the propagation of IPv6.

The Japanese Government's policy to work towards IPv6 started in 2000 when then-Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori mentioned IPv6 in his first policy speech.

Nobuyuki Idei, who is a former Chairman and Group CEO of Sony Corporation and was a member of the Cabinet's IT Strategic Headquarters, is one of those who suggested promoting IPv6. He later reflected on it and said that he convinced [Former Prime Minister Mori] by saying, "The fact that the Prime Minister mentioned IPv6 will become part of history." It, indeed, turned out as he said.

IPv6 was included in the e-Japan Strategy; however, only this past year or so has it gotten to the point that anyone can actually "use" it. Moreover, in terms of IPv6 use by the Government, it is almost zero at this point.

However, in the "New IT Reform Strategy" that was released in January 2006, they put a time frame on their efforts to become IPv6-ready by saying, "as information and communications hardware is updated and replaced in the future, new equipment will as a general rule be IPv6 compatible by FY 2008." Each ministry and government agency continues their efforts to become IPv6-ready.

Now, here is the summary of the current state of IPv6 readiness in the Government.

New IT Reform Strategy
II Priorities in IT Policies
1. The Pursuit of IT Structural Reform Capabilities
(3) Socio-Economic Activities in Twenty-First Century
12. Investigate the creation of shared e-Government infrastructure that will contribute to comprehensive improvement of convenience, efficiency, safety, and security functions. Also, as information and communications hardware is updated and replaced in the future, new equipment will as a general rule be IPv6 compatible by FY 2008. Furthermore, investigate technologies that are thought to be necessary for future development geared towards the realization of an advanced and secure e-Government and based on the results of those investigations, promote the development of the necessary technologies through collaboration between the public and private sectors.
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/policy/it/ITstrategy2006.pdf [1] (p. 35) [1]

The Meaning of IPv6 Adoption by the Government

One measure for propagating IPv6 in Japan is for Government to enforce policies that support companies and consumers' use of IPv6 connection services as well as IPv6-ready products offered by private companies. Another measure is for government agencies themselves to become IPv6 users in order to increase demand.

IPv6 adoption by government agencies is not simply about promoting industry by being ahead of the private sector and taking the initiative to adopt IPv6; it also aims to reduce costs by using IPv6 to efficiently integrate the government agencies' systems and networks, which had become complicated when the agencies were reorganized.

Also, as e-Government progresses, various administrative procedures will be able to be done online, which means that the agencies that deal with these procedures also need to digitize their own operations.

While digitizing end users' procedures, if the procedures within the agencies are still paper-based, digitization does not reduce costs. On the contrary, it could lead to increased costs.

On top of that, the crisis of IPv4 address depletion is nearing reality and it is expected that IPv6 will be used in various places. Hence, the Government will be forced to become IPv6-ready whether they like it or not.

The Process of Government IPv6 Adoption

Then, how is IPv6 expressed as part of the country's policy? In the "New IT Reform Strategy" released in January 2006 by the Cabinet's IT Strategic Headquarters, they put a time frame on their efforts to become IPv6-ready by saying, "as information and communications hardware is updated and replaced in the future, new equipment will as a general rule be IPv6 compatible by FY 2008."

Also, in accordance with the e-Government Promotion Plan, the "Operations/Systems Optimization Guideline" was created in February 2004 to improve the efficiency of each government agency's IT infrastructure. Each Operations/Systems Optimization Plan released by government agencies from FY 2005 through the end of FY 2006 states that they are to consider adopting IPv6 for their internal networks.

For example, the following is an excerpt from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's (METI) plan.

Optimization Plan for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Information Network (Shared System), March 7, 2006
2. Details of Optimization Plan
Factoring in the IPv6 readiness of external networks, including the Internet, along with the trend towards IPv6-ready hardware and software products, investigate making the Ministry's information network IPv6-ready.
http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/it_policy/e-meti/network_saitekikakeikaku.pdf [2] (in Japanese) [2]

Furthermore, in August 2006 at the CIO Liaison Committee, it was once again made clear that "each government agency is to efficiently adopt information and communication technologies that are expected to be spread, such as IPv6, after making clear how these technologies can be applied and what their effects would be."

e-Government Promotion Plan, August 31, 2006, CIO Liaison Committee Decisions
2. Policy enforcement to achieve goals
II. Result-oriented policy enforcement based on cost efficiency and such
4. Efforts towards total optimization
(2) Upgrading information systems
② Effective adoption of information and communication technologies Each government agency is to efficiently adopt information and communication technologies that are expected to be spread, such as IPv6, after making clear how these technologies can be applied and what their effects would be.
http://www.e-gov.go.jp/doc/060831/suisin.html [3] (in Japanese) [3]

However, this decision is not something that forces a uniform transition of Government networks to IPv6 or complete support for IPv6/IPv4 dual networks. Where IPv6 will be used or how it is adopted is left entirely to each agency's discretion.

Then, when government agencies want to adopt IPv6, how exactly should they proceed? Since there are few cases where even private companies have adopted IPv6 on a large scale, there is almost no general handbook for transition and adoption.

Because of that, the MIC released the "Guideline for e-Government IPv6 Systems" in March 2007. This guideline summarizes things such as the planning steps that each government agency can follow when they want to adopt IPv6, information on current IPv6-ready products and services, and also why IPv6 is necessary to begin with.

It also compares the cost structure between IPv4 and IPv6 while taking a close look at the infrastructure and servers as well as client products used by regular staff members. So this is an effective action guideline for becoming IPv6-ready not only for the government agencies but also for private companies.

According to Shin Takamura, Assistant Division Chief, Computer Communications Division, Telecommunications Bureau, MIC, who took part in creating this guideline, the following is the reason for creating the guideline. Since there was no case where IPv6 was adopted on a large scale within the Government, they were told by people who were in charge of IPv6 adoption in each agency that there were no reference materials that they could use. So, this guideline was created as a "manual to develop an IPv6 adoption plan".

The MIC has been carrying out various field trials and they have accumulated many detailed network solutions as a result. Those cases are available in the "IPv6 Transition Guideline."

This guideline contains various IPv6 use cases under various systems and environments and it is a very valuable reference material. However, since it is not always the case that the people in charge of IPv6 adoption in each agency are knowledgeable about IPv6, they cannot fully take advantage of this transition guideline. So a manual for creating an "IPv6 transition plan" that even non-IPv6 experts can follow was needed.

From FY 2007, each government agency is to decide on the exact IPv6 adoption steps they will take using the "Guideline for e-Government IPv6 Systems". They will also start making "Kasumigaseki WAN", a shared network that connects the government agencies, IPv6-ready during FY 2007.

It is still uncertain when the final goal of complete IPv6 readiness for e-Government will be achieved. However, the real first step towards "IPv6 readiness for e-Government", which was at a standstill for a long time, has now been taken.