Policy Issues regarding Electronic Government and Web Accessibility in Japan

Abstract

The Japanese government has been developing infrastructures and services for electronic government since 2001. One of the challenges identified in this regard is to ensure "accessibility" or to enable everyone, including the elderly and those with disabilities, to access the infrastructures and services of an electronic government. In 2004, the JIS (Japan Industrial Standard) X 8341-3 was issued as a Web accessibility standard in Japan. It is expected to function as a basis to ensure the Web accessibility of the electronic government in the central and local governments in Japan. Recently, however, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications found a widespread lack of understanding of and respect toward the JIS X 8341-3 among the local governments in Japan. In December 2005, a study group under this ministry proposed "Operational Models to Improve Accessibility of Public Web sites" in order to supplement the JIS X 8341-3. Thus, this paper reviews the standards and policy initiatives for improving the Web accessibility of the electronic government in Japan and discusses the challenges faced by libraries to ensure the provision of access to government information in terms of Web accessibility and electronic government.