ICT solutions to challenge problems in local cities 2/4Iwamizawa City: Vitalization of Local Society by advanced ICT

by Takehiko Kato, Chief Fellow

Optical Fiber Network

Regional Cities have their own local problems. I would like to introduce some of the examples that local problems are challenged by regional cities. In this article Iwamizawa City is focused.

Iwamizawa City is middle-sized city with population of about 80,000 and is located in central west of Hokkaido Island, 40kilometers east to Sapporo City.

The city is a pioneer to challenge to solve local problems with ICT in order to improve the qualified level of living of people and to vitalize the regional economy.

Their challenge started with the decision made by the Mayor in the year 1993 that Advanced ICT Platform should be introduced and deployed under the theme of ICT to facilitate the qualified level of living and to activate the regional economy. This decision was made far earlier than other local governments.

They inaugurated “Local Government Network Center” as center of regional IT system in 1997. They further deployed optical fiber network to connect centers in the city at their own cost. In 2003 they were awarded with the title of Special Deregulated IT Business Zone by the Cabinet Office and they introduced radio access system to be used in the frequency of 5GHz which were only deregulated at that time for use by Iwamizawa City, and in 2009 they finally covered all the city area with broadband connections.

Currently there are a number of ICT centers scattered in the City. For example “Local Government Network Center” is just in front of Iwamizawa Central Station where Digital content system, remote study system, local FM radio studio are in operation. “Telework Center” was opened as research and development facilities with accommodations and office spaces in 1999. Currently there are two Telework Centers in the city accepting start-up companies and ICT ventures. IT Business Center was established by PPP (Public-Private-Partnership) and the Center is providing data center services and promoting ICT business.

For Agriculture and Education

ICT is utilized in a variety of areas. Iwamizawa is famous for its granary in Hokkaido and you can see widely spreading agriculture field. As ICT for agriculture the weather information on specific area is provided every 51 hours based on the data and information collected by 13 weather observing stations in the city. Location information through GPS (Global Positioning System) is used to realize effective operation of tractors as well as to confirm the location of road for snow removal at winter. This challenge was rewarded with the incentive award of “Vitalization of Local Society by ICT Award” commissioned by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

As ICT for education the city developed its own curriculum of study for elementary and junior high school and remote learning services are provided for them. Electronic Watching service is also provided for pupils on the way to and from school using electronic tag, and 93% of pupils are currently using this service.

 

Healthcare Data

As ICT for medical and healthcare Iwamizawa City General Hospital is supported in medical image diagnosis remotely by Hokkaido University Hospital in Sapporo via extended optical fiber network. From 2009 Remote Radiation Therapy System has been also in operation. In the healthcare area they are digitizing mother and child health cards and family health cards, and they are offering daily health conditions and health prediction to individual citizen based on the collected data of people’s medical prescription and results of medical-check, and are also providing the general guidance of healthcare information in specific area to local companies based on Big Data of healthcare information.

As explained above, Iwamizawa City are very eagerly challenging to vitalize local society by utilization of advanced ICT.