2002 National Report for Japan
Recent Activity Report on Metadata and other related spatial data standards in Japan
AKENO Kazuhiko
akeno@gsi.go.jp
Geographical Survey Institute
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Kitasato-1, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken, 305-0811, Japan.
1. Metadata
In Japan, Japanese Metadata Profile 1.1a (JMP1.1a) is used for registering a metadata into clearinghouse. JMP1.1a was developed based on 1st CD of ISO19115 under a joint research project between Geographical Survey Institute (GSI) and private companies. Central government adopted JMP1.1a for preparing their metadata.
Then revising the JMP1.1a was frozen during CD stage in ISO/TC211. After entering DIS stage, revising process began. ISO19115/DIS was carefully checked in the joint research project. Followings are some results.
– It is proper that new JMP is developed based on Core Metadata in ISO19115/DIS.
– There are many errors in ISO19115/DIS caused by harmonization problem between standards in ISO19100 series.
– Core metadata is not well defined in ISO19115/DIS.
By way of ISO/TC211 Japanese domestic committee, 110 comments (including UML class diagrams of revised Core Metadata) were submitted to ISO/TC211. But to avoid further delay of standardization process, ISO/TC211 resolved minimum revising ISO19115/DIS. So far treatment of Core Metadata in ISO19115/DIS is not clear . Now GSI is considering that new JMP will be developed based on the revised Core Metadata under the joint research.
2. Clearinghouse
GSI is operating the Japanese clearinghouse gateway under Japanese language environment. JMP1.1a is adopted as Metadata form and is Z39.50 is adopted as retrieval protocol.
Now there are eighteen clearinghouse nodes.
– Twelve nodes by eight ministries.
– Three nodes by private companies.
– Three nodes by research institutes including universities.
The node of central government is increasing under the inter-ministry agreement.
Regarding basic survey by local government, Japan has a framework gathering the abstract information of public survey for avoiding duplicate survey by the Survey Act. GSI can gather the metadata information of public survey and are distributing them through a public survey clearinghouse node by GSI.
One special clearinghouse is by National Spatial Data Infrastructure Promoting Association (NSDIPA). Many private companies register metadata in the clearinghouse. Previously the clearinghouse was not based on Z39.50. But now the clearinghouse is operating not only as a centralized system but also as a Z39.50 node. This node is a single node but covers many private companies. Though clearinghouse gateway by GSI, government metadata and private companies’ metadata can be retrieved.
Reference
Joint Research
http://www.gsi.go.jp/ENGLISH/RESEARCH/GIS/jsgi.htm
Clearinghouse Actives
http://zgate.gsi.go.jp/2kokukan/report/papers/11.pdf
© Copyright, ICA Standards Commission, 2002