November 22, 2010
Nomura Research Institute, Ltd.
Nomura Research Institute, Ltd., a leading provider of consulting services and system solutions, has reached agreement with National ICT Australia (NICTA)1 to conduct a joint study on the use of ICT in cities, industry, and social infrastructure, the results of which will be used to formulate recommendations and move toward the development of commercial applications.
Focusing on ITS2, smart power grids, water supply management and agriculture, the project will examine two models of ICT use in these four fields: one for developed countries, targeting selected cities and regions in Australia, and the other for emerging and developing countries, which will cover selected cities and regions in Southeast Asia. Based on these models, NRI and NICTA will jointly work toward conducting field tests in the candidate cities and regions and compiling recommendations for the host governments. In addition, by identifying the respective strengths and weaknesses of Japan and Australia through these activities, we will make suggestions to create a framework for partnerships in which each country can complement the other.
Two key factors led NRI to enter the project. First, while both the Japanese government and the private sector are working to promote infrastructure exports by drawing on Japan's technological strengths in a variety of fields, many Japanese companies face the problem that because they have specialized in developing and operating infrastructure projects within Japan, they lack the expertise and experience in engaging successfully in infrastructure business overseas. To counter this problem, NRI considers it important to develop a close partnership with Australia, which is a country known for its extensive experience and expertise in infrastructure business and is implementing large-scale infrastructure investment plans such as those for broadband networks within its own country. This joint research should serve to strengthen the partnership between Japan and Australia, subsequently leading to improvements in Japan's infrastructure export capabilities.
Second, as the concepts of "smart cities" and "smart grids" demonstrate, use of ICT has become the key to addressing global issues such as climate change as well as to achieving a country's stable economic and social development. In emerging and developing countries in particular, where urban, industrial and social infrastructure development is proceeding rapidly, it is essential that plans assume the use of ICT from the initial stages of infrastructure development. NRI therefore believes that it is important to proceed with research on the use of ICT in infrastructure business through this joint project with NICTA, which is Australia's largest organization dedicated to ICT research.
In January 2011, NRI will start inviting businesses, research institutes and other organizations in Japan to participate in the project. In particular, we will encourage Japanese companies to join that are interested in exports of infrastructure to Australia and Southeast Asia that makes use of ICT in the fields of ITS, smart power grids, water supply management and agriculture. NICTA will liaise closely with CSIRO3 and other Australian research and industry organizations to bring additional capability and experience to this project.
Through this joint research, NRI aims to contribute to the development of partnerships between Japan and Australia in the infrastructure business, and to the growth of Japan's infrastructure business.
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