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Research paper : International cooperation for the utilization of earth observational data in an integrated manner (K. Iwao)−168−Synthesiology - English edition Vol.5 No.3 (2012) technology development, the weight of scores of the evaluation item determined in the process of evaluation and building of the CI presented one guideline in considering the international standard. In the system such as CI that is used widely and internationally, the emphasis is placed on universality rather than technological excellence, and the format is highly likely to become the international standard once it is employed.The evaluation and building of the CI can also be positioned as a successful case of international agreement for de jure building for earth observation recommended by Europe and USA. For example, in the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), which is the science and technology R&D system of the EU, it is determined politically that all research projects on earth observation must be adopted under the condition that they may contribute to the GEO. The FP7 not only supports the R&D for CI but is active in supporting the R&D for data and services, and as a result, succeeds in producing the de jure standard from the technology developed in the FP7. In Japan, it is necessary to build a system for international standardization in which the public R&D support system is involved.On the other hand, for the specialists who participated from Europe and USA, there were cases where the system offered by the organization to which they belonged would be the direct subject of investigation. Therefore, the voice of Japan which was capable of taking the third-party stance became important. In fact, several technologies were already widely used in Japan and have become the de facto standard. In the international standard selection, while the fair and equal evaluation according to the international movement is necessary, the fact that the technology that was widely used in Japan was employed as de jure standard could be a guideline for the Japanese activities in the flow of the international standardization led by Europe and the USA. However, it is difficult to follow all of the points among the voluminous conference material while in Japan. Although regular meetings were done over the telephone, they were held late in the evening in Japan, due to regional time differences. International negotiation is not settled in one meeting, and continuation of dialogue is important. This time, it was possible to incorporate the elemental technologies that had become the de facto standard in Japan as the de jure standard in the international standardization discussions by dispatching personnel to the office that integrated and arranged the entire project, and maintaining a system where appropriate and fair comments could be issued in particularly important meetings. If Japan were to join in the discussion for international standardization, it is necessary to set up such a system.AcknowledgementsI was given the opportunity to participate in the activities for an international arrangement and international standardization through the two-year dispatch to the international organization. I am grateful to AIST and the government of Japan that granted me this opportunity. This would not have been successful without the collaboration with the three specialists from Japan: Dr. Satoshi Sekiguchi (currently, vice research supervisor, Information Technology and Electronics), Dr. Yoshio Tanaka, and Dr. Isamu Kojima of Information Technology Research Institute, AIST. I express my thanks. Finally, I am thankful to Dr. Rob Koopman with whom I worked as a coordinator at the GEO Secretariat, GEO Director José Achache, the staff of the Secretariat, as well as all the members who were involved in the selection process.List of acronymsAcronymOfficial titleALOSAdvanced Land Observing SatelliteASTERAdvanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection RadiometerCLGEOSS ClearinghouseCSRComponent and Service RegistryESAEuropean Space AgencyGCIGEOSS Common InfrastructureGEO(Intergovernmental) Group on Earth ObservationsGEOSSGlobal Earth Observation System of SystemsGWPGEO Web PortalUSGSUS Geological SurveyReferences[1]Supersite Tohoku-oki: http://supersites.earthobservations. org/sendai.php, final access March 2012 [2]D. Normile: Japan disaster-scientific consensus on great quake came too late, Science, 332 (6025), 22-23 (2011).[3]Global Observing System: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/ www/OSY/GOS.html, final access March 2012[4]Global Terrestrial Observing System: http://www.fao.org/ gtos/, final access March 2012[5]Integrated Global Observing Strategy: http://www. eohandbook.com/igosp/, final access March 2012[6]The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies: Sangyo Kyosoryoku No Tameno Chikyu Kansoku Eisei Senryoku Kentokai Hokokusho (Report of the Investigation Committee on Earth Observation Satellite Strategy for Industrial Competition), 1-19 (2011) (in Japanese).[7]What is GEOSS: http://www.earthobservations.org/geoss. shtml, final access March 2012[8]Group on Earth Observations: 10-Year Implementation Plan, Brussels, Belgium (2005).[9]Group on Earth Observations: GEO Work Plan 2009-2011, Beijing, China (2010). [10]R. Shibazaki: Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), Material of the Workshop on Biodiversity Research in 21st Century (2008) (in Japanese).[11]Group on Earth Observations: REPORT of GEO-VI, Washington DC, USA (2009).

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