Digital Japan and Global Mapping: Role of National Mapping Organizations in the Era of GIS

Recently, the circumstances of the world's national mapping organizations have changed due to various factors such as the computerization of mapping technologies, development of GIS and the Internet, global environmental problems and government restructuring. The new roles of national mapping organizations in the era of GIS should be to: 1) provide and maintain a unique framework for exchanging and sharing geo-spatial data as a social infrastructure and 2) contribute to sustainable development by providing accurate, current geographic information on the global environment. The Geographical Survey Institute (GSI), the national mapping organization of the Japanese Government, has adopted such roles by promoting the Digital Japan Project and the Global Mapping Project. GSI developed the Denshi Kokudo Web System to provide a platform for various geo-spatial data applying web-mapping technologies to realize the Digital Japan concept. This system enables users to dispatch original geographic information without having to prepare background map data. GSI also acts as the secretariat of the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping. The Global Mapping Project develops digital geographic information covering the earth's surface at 1km resolution with standardized specifications available to all through cooperation among national mapping organizations around the world. This paper outlines the background, history and current status of these projects.