Japan Window: Parting the Curtains for the Rising Sun

For an Internet-based look at Japan, check out the Stanford-NTT Japan Window project.

by Steven Myers

Japan Window, one of the largest and most interesting Japan-related Web sites to emerge recently, is a US-Japan research collaboration between Stanford University and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT). The site provides up-to-date English-language information about Japan to the general public via the Internet. In an attempt to improve Japan information access and US-Japan exchange and communication, the project builds upon two earlier Web sites, NTT Japan Information and the Stanford X-Guide to Japan Resources, which were created in 1993-94.

Project objectives

Officially opened to the public on March 1, 1995, the Japan Window project was cofounded by Burton Lee and Michael Bayle (graduate researchers at the US-Japan Technology Management Center) and A. Goto and Y. Sakamoto of NTT. Japan Window is sponsored by Smart Valley, Inc., and technical support for this non-profit, no-fee public service is provided by WAIS Inc.

According to its founders, the Japan Window project's principal objective is "to grow a network of distributed and integrated Web sites useful to US corporate, academic, and government organizations in their daily US-Japan activities." The project aims to develop new sources of Japan information for the US high-tech community, while at the same time investigating research issues related to Web site automation/coordination, human/computer interface features, and the US market for information about Japan.

A variety of information

Japan Window is intended for use by both casual browsers of the Internet as well as large businesses and organizations. Online information is organized into the following categories:

- Travel, Living, and Working

- Kid's Window

- Daily News and Updates

- Japanese Government (central, prefectural, and local)

- Science and Technology

- Business, Economics, and Finance

The latter three sections are not completely functional at the time of this writing (late May). A space is provided, however, where users can leave suggestions and requests about the type and format of the information they would like to see included in these sections.

The Government section will cover not only national government information, but local government information as well, including pages from selected prefectures and cities. This section features the first Experimental Web Site of Japan's National Diet (the House of Councilors), which has been made available to Japan Window under a separate Stanford-Diet research relationship.

Currently under long-term development for the Science and Technology section are areas focusing on Japanese manufacturing, biotechnology, and telecommunications and computer networking R&D. A primary goal is to develop and open up the exchange of Japanese technical information.

Ideas under discussion for the Business and Finance section include daily news features, economic forecasts and performance reports, and profiles of Japanese companies. In this section, a user might find, for example, information on how to invest in Tokyo stocks or how to set up a business in Japan. The Japan Window staff hopes that the research in this area will "build a foundation for balanced US-Japan international commerce on the Internet."

The Travel, Living, and Working in Japan section is a useful information source for persons planning to visit Japan. It assists users with Japan travel preparations by, among other things, demonstrating how to fill out the numerous official forms. Information on how to get around in Japan, including detailed maps and guides, is also provided here. The initial information providers for this section include the Japan National Tourist Office (via NTT) and the Osaka Prefectural Government.

Kid's Window, as the name implies, provides an interesting environment for non-Japanese children to learn about Japanese culture and language. A variety of photographs and illustrations are combined with other visual effects designed to attract and hold the interest of the younger set.

Technical innovations

In a paper presented by the Japan Window team at the INET 95 conference in Hawaii (June 1994), several technical features of the project were described. Among the more interesting features being developed by the group are the Japan Events Calendar, the Multi-Server Coordination feature, and the online discussions.

The Events Calendar includes information on events being held in Japan and Japan-related events in the US; it provides the event date, time, location, contact information, and a short description. The events database can be searched by keyword, date, sponsor location, and/or event location. The current prototype of the Events Calendar is implemented as a custom CGI-database, and the interface model is that of a filtered list which allows screening of events. WAIS searching is also possible via a calendar script that automatically generates HTML files. To deal with the dynamic nature of event information, calendar pages and input forms are virtual pages generated on the fly.

There has been a rapid increase in the number of servers in Japan carrying Japan-related information, but much of it is redundant and unorganized. In an attempt to deal with this problem, the Japan Window team is developing ways to coordinate multiple, distributed servers by using a "relaying server" that acts as a go-between for the client and the server providing the information. The relaying server will handle tasks such as language translation, character conversion, and searches, allowing the main servers to focus on providing the information.

Another interesting technology being developed through Japan Window is that for online discussions. To promote user interactions centering on Japan-related topics, Japan Window offers a general discussion group, based on the Webchat technology developed by Michael Fremont at the Internet Roundtable Society. The team eventually hopes to enable Japan Window users to add their own pictures to a directory of members, so that users will be able to actually see who they are talking to. The online discussion area will also provide users with an opportunity to meet and chat with authors, scientists, and businesspersons working on Japan-related projects.

Research issues

In addition to developing new Web/Internet-related technologies, Japan Window is also exploring numerous non-technical issues. The most interesting of these are:

- bilingual computing, including investigation of the integration and maintenance of large bilingual databases;

- the US market for Japan information, which involves the collection of user statistics for the Internet-based dissemination of Japan information; and

- the management of Japanese technology, focusing on such issues as the impact of the Internet on technology management practices in Japanese government and industry, and management and development of the Japanese national information infrastructure (NII).

User feedback

Of particular interest is the "comment archive" section of the Japan Window site. This section is developing into an active forum for persons with Japan-related interests, and all of the comments, questions, and answers are being stored in archive files, grouped by month. The responses from the Japan Window staff to a many of the comments and questions are also been included, making this section a valuable Q&A source of information about Japan.

Japan Window has been well received by both US and Japanese users, averaging 1,200 users (13,000 hits) per day. In its first two months, 35% of Japan Window users were from the US, 35% from Japan, and 7% from other countries. (Unresolved domain names accounted for the other 23%.)

Access information

Japan Window can be accessed at either of the following Internet addresses:

http://jw.stanford.edu

http://jw.nttam.com

Organizations wishing to find out more about Japan Window can contact Burton Lee, Project Manager-US, at blee@fuji.stanford.edu, or phone +1-415-725-9969. The US-Japan Technology Information Center also asks interested Japanese information providers to contact the Center regarding participation in the project.

Among the more interesting features ... are the Japan Events Calendar, the Multi-Server Coordination feature, and the online discussions.