Minister for Communications, Mr Mah Bow Tan, will lead a 20-member delegation on an official visit to Japan from 15 to 18 February 1998. The visit, at the invitation of Dr Shozaburo Jimi, Japan's Minister of Posts and ...
Singapore, 15 February 1998 | For Immediate Release
Minister for Communications, Mr Mah Bow Tan, will lead a 20-member delegation on an official visit to Japan from 15 to 18 February 1998. The visit, at the invitation of Dr Shozaburo Jimi, Japan's Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, aims to strengthen multimedia telecommunication cooperation between Singapore and Japan.
In Tokyo, Mr Mah will sign a Joint Cooperation Agreement on Multimedia Cooperation on 17 February with Dr Jimi. The Agreement provides for high-speed connectivity between Singapore and Japan and further broadens Singapore's international connectivity to key global information centres. It also provides an umbrella framework for accelerated cooperation between Singapore's and Japan's research institutes for joint development of broadband multimedia applications.
Under the agreement, Singapore aims to tap on Japan's experience in the development of regional multimedia pilot towns and its construction of an advanced communication system model city. Singapore sees great synergy in linking Singapore ONE to these broadband networks in Japan.
In addition to the Ministerial Agreement, the delegation will also witness the signing of other significant cooperation agreements. Among them are:
1. an Asia-Pacific Information Infrastructure (APII) Agreement on Cooperation for the Promotion of the APII Test-Bed Project between the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore (TAS) and the Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT);
2. a Multimedia Virtual Laboratory (MVL) Agreement between National Science and Technology Board (NSTB) and Japan's Communications Research Laboratory (CRL) and another between NSTB and Japan's MVL Conference;
3. a Digital Broadcasting Agreement between the Singapore Broadcasting Authority (SBA) and MPT; and
4. an Agreement on Collaboration in the field of Information-Communication Research and Development between Japan's CRL and five Singapore Research Institutes, which comprises the Centre for Wireless Communications (CWC), Kent Ridge Digital Laboratories (KRDL), Network Technology Research Centre (NTRC), Internet Research Development Unit (IRDU) and Singapore Advanced Research and Education Network (SINGAREN).
Singapore will also explore with MPT the possibility of strengthening electronic commerce cooperation. The National Computer Board (NCB) and MPT's electronic commerce experts will discuss issues relating to public key authentication framework in international electronic commerce over the Internet.
Mr Mah will also visit the NTT Communication Laboratory to observe NTT's multimedia facilities. Other site visits include SONY Media World, Communications Research Laboratory, Fujitsu Kawasaki Factory and Laboratory, KDD, and Tokyo Waterfront Research Centre.
Members of the delegation include senior officials from TAS, NCB, NSTB and SBA. Research institutes represented include the CWC, IRDU, KRDL, National Supercomputer Research Centre (NSRC), NTRC, and SINGAREN. Senior officials from Singapore Telecommunications and 1-Net would also be represented in the delegation.
Note to Editor:
1. The MVL represents a virtual research centre which connects researchers in different geographical locations in a virtual environment as if they engaged in research activities at a single laboratory. The system will connect researchers with a high-speed network to promote collaborative research.
2. Digital broadcasting is a new, more effective way of transmitting radio and television services. It allows much more information than before to be transmitted and can offer viewers and listeners more channels, extra services and higher quality picture and sound.
3. Centre for Wireless Communications (CWC) is a national R&D centre founded by the Singapore National Science and Technology Board. CWC's primary activities are centred on conducting strategic and industry-relevant R&D in telecommunications and the training of suitable R&D manpower for the local telecommunications industry.
4. Kent Ridge Digital Laboratories (KRDL) is a national applied research and development organisation established in January 1998 through the merger of former national IT institutes - the Information Technology Institute (ITI) and the Institute of Systems Science (ISS). KRDL exploits the synergy and core competencies of the two institutes to turn creative ideas into reality.
5. Network Technology Research Centre (NTRC) is a centre established by Nanyang Technological University to foster research in Networking Technology. NTRC's research focuses on Broadband Networks, Applications and Services.
6. Internet Research Development Unit (IRDU) is an R&D Unit hosted at the Computer Centre, National University of Singapore, funded by the National Science and Technology Board (NSTB). Its mission is to enable Singapore to be an early adapter of new and emerging Internet technologies and to carry out R&D in areas which will benefit our emerging Internet service industry.
7. Singapore Advanced Research and Education Network (SINGAREN) is an advanced network for research & education, and for the testing of leading-edge broadband technologies. SINGAREN seeks to facilitate and coordinate the development, deployment, operation and technology transfer of advanced network infrastructure for research and education and accelerate the development of next generation network-based applications and new services, that will ultimately drive our engines of economic growth into the new millennium.
Please contact the following for further information on:
INFORMATION-COMMUNICATIONS R&D
Prof Lye Kin Mun
Director
Centre for Wireless Communications (CWC)
20 Science Park Road
#02-34/37, Teletech Park,
Singapore Science Park II,
Singapore 117674
http://www.cwc.nus.sg
Tel: 870-928
Fax: 779-5441
INFORMATION-COMMUNICATIONS R&D
Dr Francis Yeoh
Dy CEO,
Kent Ridge Digital Laboratories (KRDL) &
Director,
S'pore Advanced Research & Education Network (SINGAREN)
11 Science Park Road
Singapore Science Park II
Singapore 117685
http://www.krdl.org.sg
Tel: 770 5712
Fax: 872 1361
INFORMATION-COMMUNICATIONS R&D
Prof K R Subramanian
Director
Network Technology Research Centre (NTRC)
School of EEE, S2-B3-09
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore 639798
Tel: 799-5418
Fax: 792-6894
INFORMATION-COMMUNICATIONS R&D
Prof A.L.Ananda
Director
Internet Research Development Unit (IRDU)
National University of Singapore
Kent Ridge
Singapore 119 260
http://irdu.nus.sg
Tel: 874-2733
Fax: 779-4580
Multimedia Virtual Laboratory
Ms Nancy Lim
Corporate Communications Officer
National Science & Technology Board (NSTB)
http://www.nstb.gov.sg
Tel: 770-5897
Fax: 779-8061
DIGITAL BROADCASTING AGREEMENT
Ms Cecilia Yip
Assistant Director, Public Relations
Singapore Broadcasting Authority (SBA)
http://www.sba.gov.sg
Tel: 373-0860
Fax: 276-2238
APII TEST-BED
Ms Dulcie Chan
Corporate Communications Officer
Telecommunication Authority of Singapore
http://www.tas.gov.sg
Tel: 322-1999
Fax: 323-0941
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