In the research and development of "Cyberspace infrastructure technology using big data and AI" under the Cabinet Office's "Strategic Innovation Creation Program (SIP) Phase 2", we developed a distributed inter-sectoral data collaboration infrastructure technology and aimed at social implementation. Start of demonstration

Hitachi, Ltd., SB Technology Corp., the University of Tokyo, NEC Corporation, Fujitsu Limited, Interuniversity Research Institute Corporation National Institute of Informatics (NII), NTT Data Corporation Since 2018, the eight organizations of JIP Technoscience Co., Ltd. have been managed by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (Chairman: Hiroaki Ishizuka/NEDO) as a management corporation. We have been promoting research and development of ``Cyberspace fundamental technology utilizing big data and AI'', which was adopted in the 2nd phase of the Innovation Creation Program (SIP).
In order to improve service development efficiency and interoperability for data utilization by data users and providers, we have developed a distributed "interdisciplinary data collaboration platform technology" that connects data across various fields in industry, government, and academia. We have developed the core software tool ``Connector *1'' and a cross-sectional search function for the Data Catalog *2 that manages data acquisition methods and data contents. Additionally, in order to verify the effectiveness of the developed cross-sector data linkage platform technology, we will begin data utilization demonstrations in multiple fields such as transportation, tourism, and travel. In these demonstrations, we will collect data from multiple fields, create data catalogs, exchange data, manage data history, etc., and accumulate knowledge to realize the social implementation of inter-field data collaboration infrastructure technology. I'll go.

• *1 Connector: A software tool used by data users and providers to realize distributed data linkage. In addition to peer-to-peer data linkage, it enables the use of various support services.
• *2 Data catalog: A device that holds various information related to data, such as data definitions and formats, in order to manage data.

■Background

In recent years, with the government-led Society 5.0 advocacy for data utilization, data held dispersed by the national government, local governments, private companies, etc. can be linked to facilitate policy planning and the creation of new services and businesses. There is a need to strengthen the competitiveness of private companies and to improve the sophistication of administrative services. However, in data collaboration between industry, government, and academia in various fields, there were issues from the perspective of interoperability, such as the notation of information listed in data catalogs being inconsistent.
Therefore, we have developed a technology that realizes data linkage in various fields, and in order to verify the effectiveness of the technology, we will begin demonstrations of data utilization in multiple fields.

■Initiative details

(1) Development of a connector that realizes efficient data utilization
The eight organizations will standardize data catalogs that have different formats in industry, government, and academia in interdisciplinary data collaboration infrastructure technology, and connect data users and providers in various fields such as finding, acquiring, using, and managing data. We have developed a connector, which is an interface function. As a result, data acquisition methods and the notation of information in data catalogs, which had been an issue in the past, have been unified, data users no longer need to make individual adjustments with data providers, and efficient data utilization has been achieved. It will be possible. Additionally, the connector can be linked with independent centralized services *3, such as cross-sectional searches across data fields.
NII is making the data catalog's cross-sectional search function available on a trial basis *4 on the Internet.
In addition, with the aim of disseminating these interdisciplinary data collaboration platforms in society, we will actively publish related information through the website *5 established by NII.

(2) Start of demonstrations for data utilization in various fields
In order to socially implement the inter-sectoral data collaboration platform technology developed this time, we will begin demonstrations for data utilization in multiple fields such as transportation, tourism, and travel.
In the transportation field demonstration, we verified the effectiveness of the connector function for acquiring and utilizing various data on EV official vehicles owned by local governments, and confirmed the effectiveness of data utilization in local governments' environmental and transportation measures. Masu.
In the field of tourism and travel, demonstrations focus on the use of geospatial information, combining aviation information, weather information, and surrounding traffic information to visualize and analyze information on the flow of people in airports, and provide information to passengers and others about commercial facilities. Provide effective guidance.
Through these demonstrations, we will understand the verification results of data catalog creation, data exchange, data history management, etc., as well as the issues facing services that utilize interdisciplinary data.

• *3 Centralized services: Various support services to support decentralized data linkage that directly connects multiple data users who have distributed connectors and data providers.
• *4 Data catalog cross-search system: https://search.ckan.jp
• *5 Information disclosure website: https://sip-cyber-x.jp
  

Figure 1 Distributed “interdisciplinary data collaboration infrastructure technology”

■About the future

In the future, the eight organizations will work towards the social implementation of inter-sectoral data collaboration infrastructure technology, confirming its effectiveness through demonstrations for utilization in various fields such as transportation, tourism, and travel, and will continue to do so in stages without limiting the number of users. We will promote the spread of data collaboration between industry, government, and academia, such as by releasing connectors as OSS *6.
In addition, in collaboration with the Data Society Alliance (DSA), which aims to realize a prosperous society through fair and free data distribution and utilization across fields through collaboration between industry, government, and academia, DSA We aim to carry out full-scale operation of the collaborative service (DATA-EX) that will realize the data society promoted by

• *6 OSS：Open Source Software

■Role of each organization

• Hitachi, Ltd. (President and COO: Keiji Kojima)
  We are developing core components in the functional development of interdisciplinary data collaboration infrastructure technology, and are preparing to establish a promotion organization and conducting dissemination and expansion activities aimed at data distribution and utilization across industry, government, and academia.
• SB Technology Corp. (President ＆ CEO: Shinichi Ata)
  Responsible for data collaboration demonstration in the administrative and transportation fields. We verified the effectiveness of data linkage and visualization using interdisciplinary data linkage platform technology and conducted evaluations by holding review meetings with experts and users.
• National University Corporation The University of Tokyo (President: Teruo Fujii)
  We are developing a collaboration function with an academic network that is expected to be used as a testing environment for interdisciplinary data collaboration infrastructure technology.
• NEC Corporation (Representative Director, President and CEO: Takayuki Morita)
  Among the data exchange functions in the functional development of interdisciplinary data collaboration infrastructure technology, we developed a function to acquire context information type datasets.
• Fujitsu Limited (Representative Director and President: Takahito Tokita)
  We are conducting research and development of a function to record and acquire the history of data (original documents and exchange history) in interdisciplinary data collaboration infrastructure technology, and a controlled vocabulary creation support tool that supports vocabulary unification work.
• Interuniversity Research Institute Corporation Research Organization of Information and Systems National Institute of Informatics (Director: Yu Kitsuregawa)
  Development of basic technology such as information search and service development such as cross-dataset search in the functional development of interdisciplinary data collaboration basic technology, activities toward the establishment of a promotion organization aiming for data distribution and utilization among industry, government, and academia, and local public support. Responsible for demonstrations in the distribution and tourism fields for groups.
• NTT Data Corporation (Representative Director and President: Hiroshi Honma)
  Aiming to create new business through cross-sectoral data collaboration, we provide a system that can predict the causes of changes in airport user behavior by combining information on people flow within the airport with weather information, public transportation information, flight delay information, etc. In charge of demonstration of optimal guidance support for users over a wide area with the aim of expanding this system to other airports, terminal stations, etc.
• JIP Technoscience Co., Ltd. (Representative Director and President: Masataka Ieiri)
  In order to verify the effectiveness of data linkage basic technology in the road section of the infrastructure field, we added spatial information around the road (signs, planting, etc.) to route network (pavement) information, and integrated data linkage with disaster prevention and welfare related fields. Responsible for conducting demonstrations to contribute to the creation of a safe and secure town through services provided by the company.

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