This article is written by Dr. Yamada and translated by Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities

Realization of "Information Barrier Free"

Hajime Yamada, PhD
Dean, Graduate School of Economics, Toyo University

On May 28th, 2004, "Bill for partial revision on Disabled Persons Fundamental Law" was passed and approved at the plenary session of the House of Councilors.

One of the main points of this revision is "realization of information barrier free." "States and local authorities shall undertake necessary measures to spread electronic computers and their related devices and other information and communications equipment which are easy to use for people with disabilities, to promote convenience for people with disabilities in their use of telecommunications and broadcasting services, and to equip facilities which provide information for people with disabilities, in order that they can make use of information in an efficient manner and express their own will." Under this provision, it is stipulated to give consideration in "promoting computerization of administration and the use of information and communications technologies in public services." In addition, companies engaged in information and communications business are obliged to make an effort "to facilitate the use of their products and services by people with disabilities." In this way, it is highly expected that information barrier free can be realized in the future. ("Information barrier free" is a Japanese English term. Its meaning is identical to "Information accessibility.")

Now what equipment or services should be provided to promote convenience for people with disabilities? In order to stipulate "technical requirements that such equipment or services should comply with", new Japanese Industrial Standards were prepared. Drafting Committee of Standards that I serve as Chairperson, has worked for about four years including a preparatory period, and has completed the development of three standards of JIS X8341 series. These standards have recently been approved and issued.

The title of the series as a whole is "Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities ? Information and communications equipment, software and services" and X8341-1 is entitled "Part I: Common Guidelines", X8341-2 is "Part II: Information Processing Equipment" and X8341-3 is "Part III: Web Contents."

It takes a long time to establish or revise laws. On the other hand, changes in information and communications industries are very rapid. Therefore, if technological requirements are directly stipulated in a law, there will be a danger of not being able to respond to the rapid change in these industries. To solve this problem, a double structure was adopted where details are provided by JIS, which is easier to be revised, and only the fundamental conditions are stated in the law.

In the field of information and communications industries, new products are produced one after another and sometimes even those based on an entirely new concept are produced that had never been imagined before. To provide requirements for all equipment, software and services including such new products, Part I: Common Guideline was prepared. However, because of the purpose that it should be applied for all equipment, this standard had to keep some of its abstract contents. Therefore the double structure was adopted again, stipulating more detailed, practical requirements in separate standards, one on information processing equipment and another on web contents.

At present other separate standards are in the process of being prepared; one on office equipment such as copy machines and another on telephones, faxes, mobile phones and so on. Both are going to be provided as JIS by the end of the first half of the next year.

There is a movement towards realizing electronic government. In electronic government, people can obtain electronic information from government, while their applications are also handled electronically. With the development of this system, it is expected that the way administrative services are provided will also be changed dramatically.

As it is the web technology that forms the basis of this electronic government, many websites for electronic government are going to be designed in accordance with the technological standard for web contents, stipulated in Part III of the above new JIS. This is to comply with the stipulation of giving consideration in "promoting computerization of administration and the use of information and communications technologies in public services" in the new Disabled Persons Fundamental Law.

Besides, it is expected that private websites are also designed and provided in the same spirit. However, it is not necessarily required to revise existing sites. Since many sites are updated almost everyday, if special attention is paid when updating, sites with considerations for people with disabilities will gradually increase.

Now let me ask you if you know that there is "a person" who's job is to check websites all around the world and make records and database on what are written there. He reads texts and picks up keywords. He is a very hard worker and everyone relies on him. However, he is not good at coping with visual and audio information, so sometimes he leaves out certain information from his database if it is provided only in the form of images or sounds.

His name is "Search Engine." Every day we use web's search engine but in fact his ability to obtain information is limited. In Part III: Web Contents, it is stipulated "to add appropriate titles to each page" and "to add explanation to images in the form of text." To construct websites in accordance with this stipulation is in fact as equivalent as to make them easier to be searched by search engine. In this way, it is also expected that more users will visit these accessible websites.

In other words, the newly produced JISs are not only for the elderly or the disabled. Rather, taking its advantages means a lot to promote distribution of information at social level. In addition, it is needless to say that there lies a big business chance in creating accessible websites for electronic government and private sector.

It is true that this revision of Disabled Persons Fundamental Law has an important purpose to improve welfare for the people. However, there is also a significant meaning of developing the whole society towards information society, when the government, companies and each person take action in correspondence with that purpose. Moreover, economic possibility is expected in this process.

In general, Japanese companies are still not very conscious of information accessibility. However, it is the time to call for more attention to "information barrier free" now that Disabled Persons Fundamental Law is revised and related new JISs have been established in response to this revision.