Aiming to Build a Life Spatial Information Infrastructure
--Suggestions for Advanced Utilization of Geographic Information System--

Reference Document

Questionnaire Survey Results relating to GIS

1. Number surveyed: 145 member companies of Keidanren

2. Number of responses: 83 companies (cumulative, 143 companies)

3. Response ratio:57.2%

4. Response details

   Current status of map utilization

   1. About 80% of companies that are members of Keidanren utilize maps in their work in one form or another. Companies are split nearly 50-50 between usage of paper maps and usage of digital maps.

   2. At present, map information in most cases is obtained in the form of CD-ROMs or books. On-line information acquisition accounted for about 15% of the total, but 47% of responding companies think providing information on-line is desirable. In addition, cases where the user obtained information from books by going to the location where the books are stored and perusing and copying the information account for 46% of the total.

   Utilization of maps in work

   Yes: 79%
   No: 21%

   Form of map utilization

   Digital: 46%
   Paper maps: 54%

   Problems with paper maps

   (1) Difficult to revise or add to: 33%
   (2) Difficulty sharing: 5%
   (3) Storage space: 7%
   (4) Overlapping/mounting difficulties: 13%
   (5) Too expensive: 15%
   (6) Access is difficult: 15%
   (7) Updating frequency slow: 7%
   (8) Other (copyrights, 3D, etc): 5%

   Plan to digitalize paper maps

   Yes: 42%
   No: 58%

   Current map information access method

   CD-ROM: 29%
   Books/publications: 28%
   Perusal/copying: 18%
   On-line: 14%
   Non-disclosed information: 10%
   Facsimile: 1%

   Desired supply methods

   On-line, access when necessary: 47%
   CD-ROM: 30%
   Real-time access: 11%
   Other: 7%
   Appropriate frequency: 5%

   Problems companies have in promoting utilization of GIS

   The primary obstacles companies face in introducing and utilizing GIS are costs related to organizing, maintaining and updating data as well as the inadequacy of data that can be utilized.

   count
   Costs required in organizing data 87
   Costs required in maintaining and updating data 65
   Inadequacy of data that can be utilized 59
   Costs of organizing systems, terminals, etc. 28
   Problems related to intellectual property rights such as copyrights during data distribution 21
   Problems related to privacy and corporate secrets during data distribution 8
   Other 23

   Topics government should address in the near-term future

   Topics that the government should address in the near-term future include computerizing and allowing electronic access to map data, statistical data and ledger data stored by the government. In addition, many companies cited promotion of basic organization for GIS sharing and mutual utilization and reevaluation of a system to cope with digitalization of maps.

   count
   Computerization and electronic access to government map data 101
   Promotion of basic organization for GIS sharing and mutual utilization 81
   Computerization and electronic access to government statistical data 79
   Computerization and electronic access to government ledger data 67
   Reevaluating system 65
   Promotion of GIS organization and utilization in the public sector 54
   Utilization in the public sector of digital maps from the private sector 36
   Other 164