A. Trends in Information Distribution 1. National Trends The MPT's Information Distribution Census reports that the volume of information transmitted throughout Japan during fiscal 1992 was 9.49 (I4 1015 words and that the volume of selectable information was 3.34 (I4 1017 words; these values represent average annual increases in the 10 years since fiscal 1982 of 8.5% and 8.3%, respectively, and both growth rates are greater than the average annual increase in real gross national product (GNP) over the same period (Figure 8). The fiscal 1992 information selection coefficient, an indicator of the amount of information provided relative to information actually consumed, was 1.49 (IJ (B(set at 1.00 in 1982). The coefficient has grown since fiscal 1982 as information has diversified. Figure 8. Trends in Information Distribution Volume 2. Regional Trends By prefecture, Tokyo had by far the largest volume of information transmitted during fiscal 1992, followed by Osaka and Kanagawa prefectures. Yamanashi prefecture had the highest per-capita volume of selectable information (1.77 times the average of all prefectural values), followed by Tokyo (1.52 times) and Nagano (1.44 times). The telecommunications portion of selectable information may be divided into two categories: mass media and personal media. When the information distribution volume in these two categories is ranked by prefecture (Figure 9), it is found that values in both categories are higher than the average of all prefectural values for the urbanized prefectures of Tokyo, Osaka, and Aichi, as well as other prefectures in the Kanto region. In contrast, some of the prefectures of Kyushu have values in both categories that are lower than the all-prefecture averages. Figure 9. Per-Capita Selectable Information Volume of Telecommunications Mass Media vs. Personal Media, by Prefecture In terms of coefficients of variation, the regional differential in per-capita volume of information transmitted has expanded over the past 10 years (Figure 10). Although the regional differential in per-capita volume of selectable information has shrunk slightly during the same period, it remains the largest indicator of regional differences. Trends in Coefficients of Variation of Per-Capita Volume of Information Distribution Depending on the region, calls from subscriber telephones tend to be made either to a certain metropolitan center or to no one center in particular. Call volume from eastern Japan is heavily weighted toward Tokyo, that from western Japan toward Osaka, and that from Kyushu toward Fukuoka. In contrast, Hokkaido and Okinawa are relatively independent calling areas. Intraprefectural calls made from portable and automobile telephones accounted for 79.0% of all calls made with this equipment nationwide. The proportion is high for Hokkaido and Okinawa and Hiroshima prefectures, and low for Nara, Saitama, and Ibaraki prefectures. B. Advances in Info-communications 1. Info-communications in the Home A household information equipment index can be used to measure information equipment possessed by households and the rate of subscription to communications networks. The index continues to rise sharply; assuming a base of 100 for 1983, the index for fiscal 1992 was 181.3, up from 169.8 for the previous year. The household information expenditure index, which measures household spending on communications equipment, networks, and software, was 113.7 in fiscal 1992 (again, assuming a base of 100 for 1983), falling only 1.3 points over the previous year. Satellite broadcast reception equipment was the most popular info-communications equipment, with approximately 70% of households owning or expressing a desire to own such items. Next in popularity were personal computers (approx. 50%) and facsimile machines (38.8%). More and more households have purchased radio paging, facsimile, and other equipment in recent years, with the result that previously unimagined uses for such equipment have appeared. For example, many young people use radio pagers to send messages coded in numeral and word puns. An increasing number of households have installed facsimile machines now that prices have come down. Usage of household information services has also increased. 2. Info-communications in Industry Recent trends in info-communications equipment in business include the use of portable computers (such as laptops and notebook computers) outside the office for sales, goods transport, and other functions and enhanced usage of mobile communications. In such diverse fields as pharmaceutical sales and casualty insurance damages assessment, employees use portable computers, connecting them to the public telephone network or portable telephone network, to access information and transmit it to their home offices. Such usages of info-communications make business activities more advanced (by allowing sellers to show information and data on the computers right at the client's office) and more efficient (by allowing sales people to take care of business from their homes and then go directly to the client's office without having to stop at their own office). Vending machine point-of-sales systems using the public telephone network, teleterminals (two-way digital data communications system using radio waves), and multi-channel access (MCA) systems have been developed, allowing owners to keep track of each machine's stock from the office and replenish supplies when needed. An example of teleradiology in practical use 3. Info-communications in Society Areas of endeavor having an increasing importance to society at large include medicine, health-care, and social welfare, and usage of info-communications equipment (IQ (Btelephones, the ISDN, and others (IQ (Bto transmit sound, data, and images within these fields is growing more sophisticated and efficient. 4. Regional Info-communications as Reflected in an Opinion Poll on Tokyo vs. Regional Obtainability of Information Relatively few inhabitants of prefectures in the Kanto region and prefectures in which government-designated municipalities are situated felt that there is any difference between where they live and Tokyo in terms of the obtainability of information; those believing there was a difference amounted to 40.8% in Kanagawa and Osaka prefectures and about 60% in Aichi and Saitama prefectures and Hokkaido. Inhabitants of less urbanized prefectures felt strongly that a difference exists: 97.3% in Miyazaki prefecture, 88.5% in Oita prefecture, and 88.2% in Okinawa prefecture. By city, less than half of the residents of government-designated cities felt that a difference exists, indicating a marked difference between these and other cities in Japan.