We have obtained permission to publish the remarks given by Seiko Noda, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, at the symposium held in late May to mark the founding of the Learning of Tomorrow Association.
　On the day of the event, we received remarks from Chairman Hiroshi Komiyama (former President of the University of Tokyo) and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Seiko Noda. However, both speakers completely disregarded their prepared remarks and, instead of the scheduled five-minute speeches, each spoke for 10 minutes to share their thoughts. First, I would like to present Minister Seiko Noda’s remarks.

■ Precisely Because Japan Is a “Challenge-Leading Nation,” We Must Make Maximum Use of ICT
　Good afternoon, everyone. I am Seiko Noda, as you were just introduced. I was delighted to hear the various insights shared by Professor Komiyama, and it reaffirmed my belief that Japan is lagging far too far behind in the widespread adoption of ICT. From now on, our population decline will proceed without pause.I refer to this as a “silent, invisible crisis.” For our country, which is facing an unprecedented burden unlike anything the Japanese people have ever experienced, I believe that ICT may be the only force capable of standing up to this challenge and resolving it.

Yesterday, we held the Japan-China-Korea Ministerial Meeting on Information and Communications for the first time in seven years.Together with Minister Miao of China and Commissioner Yu of South Korea, we were able to engage in the meeting in a very friendly and cordial atmosphere and had some very substantive discussions. What became clear is that the problems facing Asian countries are indeed shared, and that population decline and aging are, as expected, very serious issues.

　Globally, Japan has been facing the challenges of population decline and an aging society for nearly 10 to 20 years longer than other nations. We discussed the need to take on the challenge of making the most of ICT to overcome these challenges. China, in particular, has a large population. Japan has a population of about 100 million, while China has about 1.4 billion.If we simply leave the aging population unaddressed, it will place a considerable burden on society. When considering what we can do in this context, we reaffirmed that we must leverage the power of ICT to solve these challenges. Currently, Japan, China, and South Korea are each focusing on AI, IoT, and 5G. And cybersecurity serves as the foundation upon which we can reliably advance these technologies.Currently, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications likens these technologies to a “ferris wheel.” Only with cybersecurity serving as a solid foundation can we effectively integrate AI, 4K, 8K, IoT, and 5G.

■ ICT Talent Development Is an Urgent Priority
　During a free-flowing discussion at the meeting, I shared a concern I’ve been harboring—one regarding human resources. I feel that we are currently living off the reserves built up by the tireless efforts of our predecessors. Looking to the future, what can we leave behind for Japan 50 years from now?With talent reserves rapidly dwindling due to factors like population decline—and especially in a society where we’ve barely cultivated any ICT talent—what can we possibly leave behind?

The 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games are coming up. As is the case with most host cities, Japan will become a target for cyberattacks in the year of the Games.To weather this storm, we need “white hat hackers”—professionals capable not only of defense but also of deterrence. Yet this country lacks such top-tier cybersecurity talent. We’ll have to rely on the support of other nations to somehow make it through 2020, but in Japan, the very concept of “white hat hackers” is still not widely recognized.

　Since the discussion on talent was unplanned, we decided to schedule a new session to explore what can be done moving forward. Ideally, we’d like to foster international talent exchange starting as early as elementary school. ICT knows no age limits. Just because someone has a college degree doesn’t necessarily make them a good ICT professional.To accomplish things that go against Japan’s conventional wisdom, we cannot rely on existing organizations alone. In this context, I believe the role that the Learning of Tomorrow Association must play is, quite naturally, a vital one.

■ The Potential of ICT: Transcending Traditional “Academics” and “Education”
　Finally, I’d like to share a story about my son.My son has three disabilities: paralysis on the right side of his body, an intellectual disability, and a respiratory impairment. Because he has a weak heart, he uses a ventilator. But right now, he’s fighting hard to live and attends a special needs school. Due to his intellectual disability, he can’t write letters, numbers, or draw pictures.He’s seven years old, but he can’t do almost anything that a typical elementary school student can do. He also has a speech impairment, so conversation is difficult for him.

　But the one thing he absolutely loves is a smartphone. This is strange—I thought he probably wouldn’t understand much because of his intellectual disability, but it turns out he had been watching his parents use it and learned how to operate it on his own. The other day, without his parents’ knowledge, my son made a technological breakthrough.He finally used my smartphone to buy a Braun electric razor for me through an online store. It’s a 30,000-yen item that can’t be returned because it contains alcohol, and since my husband has a very light beard, it’s practically going to waste (laughs).

　Just as my husband and I were marveling, “Wow, he’s actually able to do things like this now,” something else unexpected happened this month. The other day, my son went with my husband to his golf practice. He seemed to have a lot of fun and kept saying, “Golf, golf,” but then one day, another cardboard box arrived via online shopping. When we opened it, we were surprised.This time, it was a set of golf equipment for kids. In other words, I realized that as long as he’s using ICT devices, even a child with a disability can control various aspects of daily life. I’m spending my days wondering, “What on earth is going on here?”

　The other day, I bought a video game. I’ve been so busy that I hadn’t really had a chance to play it, but I did take it out of the box and charge it. One morning, about ten days later, I suddenly heard music from the game. “Huh, what’s that?” I thought—only to find that my son, who can only move his left hand, was playing the game with just that one hand. I was really surprised by this, too.At this point, I really feel that there is something special about the true essence of ICT. ICT possesses something that goes beyond traditional “academic study” or “education,” and I wonder if people who were previously on the receiving end of support might, through some catalyst, be able to contribute value themselves. It’s just a small anecdote from my own home, but it got me thinking about these things.

　If things continue this way, Japan will face what amounts to corporate bankruptcy. But we still have strength left in us. That strength lies in ICT—a field we’ve been urging people to prioritize for decades, yet one that has never received the necessary investment. As 5G becomes widely available in 2020, it’s crucial that we ensure this technology truly flourishes.I believe that Japan’s only path to survival lies not just in the technology itself, but in thoroughly cultivating the capable people who will operate it—people we must nurture within our existing educational system in ways we never have before. In closing, I’d like to ask you all to set aside your preconceptions and join me in building a new Japan.