The government has unveiled the "e-Japan" strategy that it hopes will turn Japan into the most advanced information-technology-based nation in five years. Most mass media and IT experts are critical of the strategy. They say it lacks vision and workable plans, is late and is designed to benefit only those companies represented on the IT-related government advisory council.

To be sure, the strategy is far from praiseworthy. Yet I also have doubts about some of the criticisms of the plan. Critics say the basic plan is laudable but would be difficult to implement, due to the division of government functions between departments and the continuing tolerance of the telecom giant NTT's virtual monopoly and high communications charges.

There is little criticism, however, of the basic U.S-style strategy of building a broadband telecom network that links personal computers nationwide and distributes contents at a low cost. Some critics say Japan lags far behind South Korea, where low-cost communications networks of asymmetrical digital-subscriber lines have been laid nationwide. They note that most South Koreans have IT skills and are eager to use them.