Abstract
Japan was slow in responding to the opportunities posed by the Internet, a somewhat unexpected development given the country’s substantial investments in computers and high technology. Resistance to the Internet in Japan arose from several different directions: intense government regulation of telecommunications, the dominance of English as the language of the Internet, national concerns about westernization through the world wide web, the high personal costs of Internet connections, and the slow response of Japanese companies to opportunities in the field of electronic commerce. Over the last five years, the people, businesses and government of Japan have responded decisively to the continued development of the Internet. Japanese language information on the Internet continues to expand — due in no small measure to the establishment of Japanese web-sites by foreign companies — and concerted national efforts have been made to capitalize on the potential of the digital revolution. Given the willingness and, at times, the ability of the central government to dictate the pace and direction of change to the nation, there is a strong possibility that Japan will play an increasingly important role in the expansion of the Internet.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Dr Ken Coates, Department of History and Politics, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick.
Dmitri Ragano, “Special Report: Despite Japan’s Finance Industry Shake-Up, IT Continues to Grow,” ASCII Website (http://wwwascii.co.jp/english/news/archive/97/11/28/#l).
“Wiring Japan,” 5 May 1994, Wired (http://muhu.cs.helsinki.fi/mailing_lists/pointers/msg00035.html.)
“Wiring Japan,” 5 May 1994, Wired (http://muhu.cs.helsinki.fi/mailing_lists/pointers/msg00035.html.)
Mariko Tomiyama and Yuko Maeda, “Internet and Japan,” 1994, http://muhucs.helsinki.fi/mailing_lists/pointers/msg00036.html.
Japan’s Internet Tangle,” The Economist, 15 July 1995.
For a recent review of the ISP situation, see Daniel Grunenbaum, “Internet Service Providers in Japan,” The Journal, vol 35, no. 1 (January 1998).
Interview with Roger Boivert, President, Global On-line, May 1998.
Iwasaki Ieo, “Being Digital in Japan: the Current Internet Fever and Multimedia in Japan,” Journal of Japanese Trade and Industry Vol 14, no. 6 (November 1995).
Internet Global Growth Rate, International Data Corporation, 23 June 1997.
Activmedia Incorporated, 11 August 1997.
“Demographic Projections for Asia,” Techserver, 10 September 1996 Nua Internet Surveys. a 1996 report estimated Japanese usage by 2000 to be over 30 million people, a good indication of the hyperbole that surrounds the internet. Activemedia Incorporated, 7 September 1996. NUA Internet Surveys (www.nua.ie).
“,” Japan Biztech, 22 April 1998.
Paul Biddle’s Communications, 14 August 1997.
“Network Wizard’s Internet Domain Survey: a Global Perspective,” Network Wizards, 17 February 1998.
Yahoo (Japan): Yahoo Japan Web Survey, 7 November 1996.
4 March 1997, The Daily Yomiuri.
Because of the growth potential of the female market, firms are making concerted attempts to reach female users. for a review of these efforts, see Lauren Colias Midori Nishioka, “Special Report: Japanese Web Sites Target Young Working Women,” ASCII Website (http://www.ascii.co.jp/english/news/archive/98/01/21#1).
Ibid.
“Japanese Women Favor Local Specialty Foods in Online Shopping,” 24 September 1998, Asia Biz Tech.
Rolf Boone, “Sales Booming for Young Japan-Based Online Business,” 12 October 1998, internetnewscom.
Rolf Boone, “Japanese E-Commerce Marketing Holding Firm (For Now),” Internetnewscom, 11 December 1998.
Ibid.
“Internet to Weather the Asian Storm/’ TechWeb, 9 July 1998.
The Economist, 19 September 1998, p. 11.
On efforts by the banking sector in electronic commerce, see Dmitri Ragano, “Japan’s Banks Implement Trials of Online Commerce,” ASCII Website (http://wwwascii.co.jp/english/news/archive/97/l_l/03/#l).
“Yahoo Japan to Expand by 50% Per Annum,” CNet, 21 October 1997
“US Firms Locate in Japan,” Techserver, 16 October 1997
Forest Linton, “The Digital Forest,” January 1997, Computing Japan. (http://cjmag.co.jp/magazine/issues/1997/jan97/forest/html).
Rolf Boone, “Japanese Internet/E-Commerce Growth Blocked by Government, Cultural Traits,” 16 November 1998, Internetnewscom.
Ibid.
Forest Linton, “The Digital Forest,” January 1997, Computing Japan. (http://cjmag.co.jp/magazine/issues/1997/jan97/forest/html).
“Vision 21 for Info-Communications,” Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, http://wwwmpt.go.jp/policyreports/english/telecouncil/v21-9706/info21-outline-e.html.
“The Future of Computing,” The Economist, 12 September 1998, p. 80.
“Survey-The Millennium Bug,” The Economist, 19 September 1998, p. 14.
Ibid.
“Japanese Government Legislates for the Year 2000,” Asia Biztech, 25 September 1998.
“Non-English Speakers Catch-Up,” eMarketer, 30 June 1998.
“Kanji and Kana on the Internet,” The Economist, 6 September 1997.
“Vision 21 for Info-Communications,” Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, http://wwwmpt.go.jp/policyreports/english/telecouncil/v21-9706/info21-outline-e.html.
Willaim Banpied, “Japan’s Science and Technology Policy: Retooling for the Future,” Washington: National Science Foundation, March 1998.
Despite the country’s well-documented economic difficulties, consumer interest in personal computers remains very high the recently released iMac computer Apple sold out upon delivery to Japan and computer sales in August 1998 were running a full 44% above the previous year’s returns. “iMac Stimulates Japanese Computer Sales in August,” Asia Biztech, 21 September 1998.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Coates, K. (2000). Back in the race: Japan and the internet. In: Bowles, P., Woods, L.T. (eds) Japan after the Economic Miracle. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4277-9_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4277-9_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5854-4
Online ISBN: 978-94-011-4277-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive