Introduction

	Japan stands at an important crossroads. The era of constantly rising growth is past. We are seeing the twilight of the economic system that nurtured historically unparalleled, stunning economic growth during the post-war period. Having a range of burdens inherited from the past, Japan is now searching for ways to establish the foundations for its nationhood in the future.  



	What are these foundations then that Japan should lay as the 21st century approaches? As our social structures, the economic framework, and values are changing in complex ways, if the country takes a narrow approach in dealing with one set of problems, it runs the risk of worsening other sets of problems. For example, thorough consideration must be given to environmental issues when we try to accelerate further economic growth. Moreover, Japan needs to rectify excessive trade surpluses in the course of its future economic growth. The situation today dictates that Japan must shift from the existing socio-economic system it has built to a different system founded on a new paradigm, a new socio-economic perspective for the future.  For Japan, the biggest issue is that of building a new social system capable of reaching a harmonious balance both domestically and internationally.  



	This brings up the question of what, if anything, is causing the "paradigm shift" as the next century approaches. Only a powerful intellectual effort can overcome the inherent limits of industrial society, which relies on the consumption of massive amounts of energy and goods, and achieve a proper balance of the whole. Only the building of a socio-economic system that takes optimal advantage of human intellectual activities can forge a balance between living-culture, industry-business, and nature-environment at a higher level. If the term "intellectually creative society" is taken to describe a society in which intellectually creative activities play a dominant role and become economic assets, then the only path open is to shift to a new paradigm leading to the next century and build such a society. This society will require that information and knowledge, which are the products of human intelligence, be freely generated, circulated, and shared, in place of the consumption of massive amounts of energy and goods.  Thus Japan needs to establish a high-performance, new info-communications infrastructure to support the transition to an intellectually creative society, which should be its ultimate goal.  



	However, Japan is definitely not alone in this, but faces this situation in concert with the other advanced industrialized nations. The European and American countries as well as certain Asian countries are beginning to upgrade their info-communications infrastructures in recognition of these pressing questions. 



	Japan's capabilities for utilizing information and related facilities already show a substantial qualitative difference compared to the United States and other nations. Japan's lag in keeping pace with these others in the creation of info-communications infrastructure is giving rise to fears that Japan's position in the international community of the 21st century may be threatened.  The creation of the necessary info-communications infrastructure is not something that Japan seeks for its own self-interest. Japan's objectives are to boost its domestic market demand, thereby contributing to the growth of the global economy as a whole, and to achieve the free circulation of information at home and abroad in order to strongly promote the transparency of Japanese society and to build a Japan that is open to the world.  



	In recognition of these needs, the Telecommunications Council has undertaken repeated deliberations for about a year, hearing opinions from experts and leaders in a wide range of fields throughout the country on the theme of "how best to create new info-communications infrastructure for the 21st century." The Council's findings, summarized in this report entitled "Reforms toward the Intellectually Creative Society of the 21st Century--Program for the Establishment of High-Performance Info-Communications Infrastructure," both emphasize the importance of info-communications infrastructure in relation to the intellectually creative society of the 21st century and point to the concrete measures that should be taken as the beginning of the next century approaches. The government should not only work to secure a broad understanding among the general public on the necessity of creating this info-communications infrastructure, but should also fulfill the Council's recommendations wherever feasible as soon as possible.