Networking Technology Trend in Japan, Toward Earth-Friendly Infrastructure

This paper introduces the recent trend of networking technologies in Japan. Especially after the East Japan Mega quake, the importance of saving natural resources has been more seriously recognized than ever. Therefore, the author focuses the explanation on the electric power and radio frequency, which are the part of natural resources and are key players to construct national infrastructures. Many smart grid projects in Japan are supported by the government. Their research and development activities created a number of new technologies. Green ICT is another activity to save energy. Less consumption of electric power in communication devices need to be realized as well as in CPU and storage devices. Finally the author picks TV white space up, which leads to reorganization of VHF/UHF band plan in Japan. Cognitive radio technologies can be applied to share frequencies in the white space in the future.