Page 22 RAIN Spring 1986 Research Institute on Energy and Environment (PRIEE) uses the ECONET system, connected to the American-based system through VENUS-P, an international packet-switching system. The Networking Design Consultants group is active in several American-based systems including Metanet and Unison. They have also established a bulletin board on the Success System in Japan. The Public Citizen organization uses The Source, hoping to build a news service for subscribers to that system. Several other groups use CompuServe, and some are investigating the Delphi system, which has become popular for trans-Atlantic communication. Bulletin Board Systems in Japan Jeff Shapard and Makoto Ezure have established a popular board called TWICS (Two Way Information System). TWICS uses a Unix supermicrocomputer that operates six phone lines. Bilingual services include E-mail and a Private Mail Box, Chat (service allowing live keyboard conversations), a health and medical bulletin board, a Spanish language bulletin board, and a U.S. news service called NewsSoft. Also, TWICS offers the most passed around electronic newsletter in the U.S., Netweaver, the interactive, intersystem newsletter of the Electronic Networking Association. There are about 240 users, two-thirds of them Japanese. TWICS would eventually like to go international. For now, if you are adventuresome you can trying calling them for an account, in Tokyo at 03-433-1422. The Success is a popular bulletin board system that promotes ideas for peace. Using English as the communication language, it emphasizes international communications. The Success can be reached at 935-38 Mutsu-ura-cho, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa-ken, Japan. Fujimic Corporation announced it will start a personal computer network in April of this year. The network, called Eye-Net will initially start with about 100 information providers offering a variety of information ranging from news to shopping, part-time employment, and a host of commercial data. There is also a group in Tokyo that tries to keep track of bulletin board and other telecommunications, called Tokyonet, organized by Russ Marcus (0427-29-5196). Another group, called Compu-Aid and operated by Ron Billings, assists people in getting the appropriate equipment for computer communications. Cross-Pacific Conference Participation The Public Citizen group uses a computer to organize its information resources, and to do word processing for its English journal. It has also experimented with computer communications as a way to build connections with other groups around the world. In 1984, the International Student Forum Toward the 21st Century was held in Tokyo, where members of the Public Citizen met with the organizers, including Julie Moren- cy, president of the Canadian International Youth Forum. The 1985 conference was held in Canada. Public Citizen staff member Toshihiro Tsubo was invited to the conference, but after some consideration he proposed that he “attend” the conference from Japan using the electronic mail capability of The Source information system. So for 10 days. Public Citizen participated in the conference on a daily level. The participation was successful enough that Public Citizen is hoping to expand its electronic communication through developing an electronic newsletter. (The Source ID number; BDP 240) O O Information Technology in Kumamoto by Kris Nelson Print media in this prefecture, it appears, will soon be bowing to Japan's most integrated information system. The grand design is outlined in “Kumamoto—A Scenario for Tomorrow.” Governor Hosokawa and other local advisors are working on what they call the "Information Resources City Plan.” It calls for six regionally tailored information systems: 1) The Kumamoto Information Network Guide System (KINGS), 2) the Library Information Network, 3) Kumamoto Cable TV system, 4) a Health Management Information System, 5) Kumamoto Technopolis Technological Information System, and 6) the Industrial Information Center, to provide data on warehousing, transportation, and so on. KINGS is Japan's first public access videotex system. It was primarily funded by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications' “Teletopia Plan,” an effort to enhance industry and community life with “new media.” KINGS provides free information through 38 terminals around the city on ten basic topics: 1) local news and weather, 2) sports, 3) community events, 4) travel information, 5) advertisement from department stores, 6) restaurant and grocery store advertisements, 7) horoscopes, 8) new residents information, 9) educational programs, and 10) money management services. KINGS manager, Keiji Nakashima, says they plan to have over 100 terminals within five years, add an information order entry service, and make it available in English. For more information, write to Nakashima Keiji, Kumamoto Videotex Service, 2-3103 Kamitori-cho, Kumamoto-shi, Japan 860. O O Kris Nelson, former Rainmaker, now lives in Kumamoto. The Other Japan
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