The government will start reviewing outmoded regulations hindering the development of information technology before establishing dedicated legislation aimed at developing the new technology, government officials said Tuesday.

Cabinet members from the government's IT strategy headquarters made the decision at the Prime Minister's Official Residence on Tuesday evening during their first meeting with business leaders from an 18-member private-sector panel on IT strategy.

Both organs were set up earlier this month -- together with another state panel on industrial rebirth -- and were charged with ensuring that Japan implements the necessary industrial and social reforms to benefit from the IT revolution.

Business leaders from the private-sector panel -- led by Nobuyuki Idei, chairman and CEO of Sony Corp. -- on Tuesday urged the government to specify a timetable for structural reforms aimed at adjusting to the information age. They also suggested drafting relevant bills in one package to be submitted to an extraordinary Diet session this fall at the earliest.

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hidenao Nakagawa replied that they will instruct Cabinet ministers to urgently identify obstacles to the IT revolution.

Mori also pledged to focus the fiscal 2001 budget on creating e-government and e-commerce.

Points of concern in these areas include legal obligations for companies to conduct business in writing and through face-to-face transactions, as well as to establish bricks-and-mortar offices.

Opening Tuesday's first government-private sector IT strategy conference, Idei proposed constructing a national IT strategy unique to Japan, based on broad-band network infrastructure utilizing mobile communications, digital broadcasting and household electronic appliances.

Panel members also underscored the need to introduce legislation to safeguard e-commerce that deals in digital content and other information-related property. Some business representatives also want business-related criminal laws strengthened because of the massive impact of cyber crimes.