Crossroads of Information Technology Standards (1990) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix B: All American in the Japanese Standard System
Appendix B: All American in the Japanese Standard System
Pages 43-58
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From page 43... ...
This could be the opening scene in any number of paperback novels about business-government cooperation in Japan, except that for the past few years, two foreigners, one representing the European and one representing the American information industries, have also been present in the room and have participated as full, legal committee members. That the Japanese information technology standards-setting process is open to foreign participation is now established beyond reasonable doubt: more than 20 foreign-capital companies in Japan participate.
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From page 44... ...
Nippon Motorola Lld, Tekelec Lld, Northern Telecom Japan Inc., Olivetti Corporation of Japan, Rockwell International Overseas Corp., Rolm International Japan (Siemens) , Samsung Japan, Siemens K.K., Western Digital Japan Ltd E/e ctronic industries Association of Japan [components, connectors, displays, semiconductors]
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From page 45... ...
Jurisdiction conflicts and duplication continue to exist in some areas of information technology standardization in Japan, but the secretariats and members of the duplicated standards bodies do try to work to rationalize the process. There are areas of standardization that are not the subject of formal government deliberation procedures because the technology is changing too rapidly to make it worthwhile to try to freeze the standard.
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From page 46... ...
manufactured exports.2 Thus, a strong domestic information technology industry maintains the American standard of living, strengthens the United States economy, and is a significant portion of the value of U.S. exports.
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From page 47... ...
company hampered in making a sale in Japan because of legal or de facto standards in Japan that are different from those of the rest of the world. Here, foreign standards adversely affect business risk It is interesting to note that, according to one recent survey, Japanese information technology companies take account of foreign technical standards in the research and development (R&D)
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From page 48... ...
companies that are themselves competitors, we were able to serve as a trailblazer into several Japanese technical standards developing bodies. From the Japanese industry perspective, I imagine that as a nonprofit we were less threatening than a profit-making U.S.
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From page 49... ...
Happily, since 1985 it has become far less necessary for us to serve as a test case for information technology standards access in Japan. In 1985, after extensive discussions with the United States concerning liberalization of the Japanese telecommunications market as well as its own research and deliberation, Japan's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications made a fundamental change in its regulatory policy.
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From page 50... ...
However, I feel that even before the Action Program, MITI had made a determination that complaints about closed Japanese standards-setting procedures were a profoundly unnecessary source of friction, that Japan could well afford to allow more foreign access to its standards-setting process, and that increased international technical exchange would benefit Japan's technological base. MITI also increased its encouragement to Japanese companies to use the international standards-setting process, as represented by ISO and other meetings, so as to have the world agree, through representative voting, to make Japanese standards the world standards.
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From page 51... ...
Prior notice under GATT Standards Code [publication at least 9 weeks in advance in'lsusho Koho1 Publication in Official Gazette (Kampo) FIGURE B-3 JIS Standardization Procedures and Policies to Guarantee their Transparency.
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From page 52... ...
Occasionally, nonmembers will be called in to report on an overseas meeting or foreign standard relevant to the discussion. Some, but not all, of the major Japanese electronics companies, optical fiber cable makers, and telecommunications companies are regular members.
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From page 53... ...
53 ~J/S And /nternationa/ Standards ·~IS should work harder to be reflected in international standards 47% ·International standards should be more actively used in JIS 24% ·The existing relationship between JIS and international standards is satisfactory 14% ·Japan's situation should be reflected in ITS without regard to international standards 7% ·Other / No Answer S% /nternationa/ Standards Participation ·We participate independently in international standards drafting 6% ·We do nothing in particular 31% ·We participate in international standardization through industry drafting of international standards 27% ·We do not participate in international standard drafting but are aware of the standards of countries in which we do business 16% ·We do not participate in international standard drafting but are aware of standards related to our company without regard to trading relationships 9% ·No Answer If% /nternationa/ Standards Participation Obstacles ·Lack of qualified people 38% ·Lack of administrative staff 25% ·Inadequate budget 19% ·Top executives not interested JO ·Other / No Answer 13% FIGURE B-5 Japan and Standardization: A 1989 Survey. SOURCE: Hyojunka Journal, October 1989.
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From page 54... ...
At least in information technology, the Japanese government and industry are very aware of foreign standards. These international standards are usually not adopted as they are if only due to the need to translate them into Japanese.
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From page 56... ...
information technology companies in Japan have tried to use their sales engineers to participate in Japanese standards developing bodies. The results have usually been frustrating for both the participant and the company.
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From page 57... ...
These works will be done additionally to the noticed 1988 Fy's plan for preparation of drafts of Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS)
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From page 58... ...
computer company is, in internal information circulation, a match for anyone. Between 1984 and 1988, Japan's share of the worldwide data processing and office equipment market jumped from 14.8 to 27.8 percent, while America's share plunged from 50.8 to 33.3 percent in the same period.
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