The nature of the 21st century paradigm shift driven by thenext-generation Internet

摘要

This paper discusses the nature of the paradigm shift that will beaccelerated as the next-generation Internet (NGI) pervades society.First, we define the NGI society as one in which the network is soubiquitous that no one will be conscious of connecting with it. Then weinvestigate trends and expectations of current NGI research anddevelopment projects worldwide. Secondly, we have performedcomprehensive questionnaire-based market research into new technologies.This reveals that Japan can be expected to create global markets bydeveloping NGI applications in home-electronic appliances, mobileassistants, transportation systems, and animation games. Furthermore, wegeneralize the discussion on the nature of the paradigm shift asfollows. Although modern western rationalism produced the astonishinggrowth of the industrialized countries in the 19th-20th centuries, thisapproach alone no longer offers the prospect of much further advance.The 21st century paradigm for science and technology, for social,economic and governmental systems, and for industrial structures andworking styles will necessarily shift towards autonomous and cooperativedecentralization. The Internet is a decentralized computer system thatis operated autonomously and cooperatively by individuals and smallorganizations. The NGI will further accelerate this paradigm shift. Weconclude that this approach is essentially similar to the traditionaloriental philosophy of harmony, and urge that it should be adopted inpositioning Japan within the global, information-oriented networksociety of the 21st century