A SURVEY OF JAPANESE INFORMATION ON WWW (WORLD WIDE WEB): FOCUS ON SOCIAL SCIENCE RESOURCES∗
ยุพิน คลายมนต∗∗ (Yoopin Claymone)
บทคัดยอ
งานวิจัยเรื่อง “การสํารวจทรัพยากรขอมูลญี่ปุนบนระบบเครือขายอินเตอรเนต: กรณีศึกษา งานวิชาการดานสังคมศาสตร” มีวัตถุประสงคเพื่อสํารวจ สถานภาพในการเผยแพรขอมูลญี่ปุนมาสู ประเทศไทยและประเทศอื่นๆในโลก เก็บ รวบรวม วิเคราะหและตรวจสอบแหลงขอมูลญี่ปุนวามีการ เขาถึงการใหบริการอยางไร พรอมทั้งสรางโฮมเพจเพื่อใหบริการขอมูลญี่ปุนที่เกี่ยวกับงานทาง วิชาการบนระบบเครือขายอินเตอรเนต โดยยึดหลักในการจัดหมูหมวดตามระบบหอสมุดรัฐสภา อเมริกัน งานวิจัยนี้ไดทําการศึกษาและเชื่อมโยงระบบขอมูลญี่ปุนเพื่อใหบริการบนระบบเครือขาย อินเตอรเนต ผลสรุปงานวิจัยนํามาซึ่งประโยชนในการศึกษาและคนควาชองทางในการรับขอมูล การ ใช การเผยแพร และพัฒนาในการเขาถึงทรัพยากรขอมูลญี่ปุนในระดับลุมลึกตอไป
คําสําคัญ: การสํารวจ /ทรัพยากรขอมูลญี่ปุน/งานวิชาการทางสังคมศาสตร
∗ A report submitted to Sumitto Foundation by Narit Nimsomboon, Assistant Professor of Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University and Yoopin Claymone, Reseacher of East Asian Studies, Thammasat University. ∗∗ นักวิจัยชํานาญการ สถาบันเอเชียตะวันออกศึกษาฯ มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร วารสารเอเชียตะวันออกศึกษา Journal of East Asian Studies
Abstract
The purposes of the research on “A Survey of Japanese Information on WWW ( World Wide Web ): Focus on Social Science Resources ” are as follows: (1) to survey the status of Japanese information dissemination to Thailand and the world; (2) to analyze and gather information about Japan; (3) to examine the information delivery channels and academic information resources of Japan; (4) to create a homepage of Japanese information resources and their linking on www. In conducting the research, the webpage survey form comprising of a comprehension lists of url details, were developed. The researchers reviewed all related literature. According to the library of Congress Classification Scheme and Thammasat University’s Courses , Japanese information resources homepages were analyzed and the linkage among these resources were constructed. The research results would bring the following benefits: (1) the knowledge of information delivery channels of Japan; (2) the way to promote the Japanese information using in Thailand; (3) the improvement of research efficiency in the field of Social Science; (4) the dissemination of Japanese academic information resources and etc.
Keywords: Survey/Japanese information/ Social Science Resources
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Introduction to Thai instructors twice. The trail service Project Background and Significance was available in Thailand at Thammasat The emerging of internet changes University, Chulalongkorn University and not only the information delivery channels Japan Foundation. The events mentioned but also the researchers’ methods for above show that Japanese information is information retrieval. The information can disseminated to Thailand via new channel be accessed within a second and with no so it can be exploited more extensively. location limitation. The tremendous Some Japanese homepages were written numbers of homepage were created to both in Japanese and in English especially disseminate a great quantity of useful government sector homepages. Although information worldwide. In addition, the online databases are mainly provided in Program for advanced Information Thailand by STKS (Science and Infrastructure established by Japan, Technology Knowledge Service) which is Ministry of International Trade and Industry, from USA, it doesn’t mean that Japanese shows that the bibliographic information information is not important for Thai released by the government to the public researchers. Actually, the Asian information would be extensively compiled into and Asian vision are crucial for the databases and supply via networks. research activities in Thailand as it could Furthermore, the library networks are create another new vision to Thai connected to the National Center for researchers. However, one of the problems Science Information Systems (NACSIS). In of Japanese studies in Thailand surveyed late 1995, the Internet connection between by Institute of East Asian Studies is the Thailand and Japan was inaugurated under insufficiency of Japanese information. From the sponsorship of NACSIS. The research WWW survey, there are many WebPages network, ThaiSarn and SINET (Science about Japanese studies but most of them Information Network) was connected as are not classified and integrated. It is well as NACSIS. Thai Project was urgent to create new resource of Japanese conducted. In 1997, the training programs: studies on Internet so that the information NACSIS-IR and Trail service were provided could be accessible to all researchers.
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The project will give the Project Objectives following information: The objectives of the project on A • delivery channels of Japanese Survey of Japanese Information on WWW studies (World Wide Web): Focus on Social • Homepage linkage of Japanese Science Resources are as follows: information resources • to survey the status of Japanese • the Japanese academic information information dissemination to resources Thailand and the world
• to analyze and gather information Project Plan about Japan The project plan outline is the • to examine the information delivery followings: channels and academic information • Feasibility Study : define the resources of Japan subject, scope and objectives • to create a homepage of Japanese • Survey and Collect General information resources and their Information linking on WWW • Analysis and conclusions (World Wide Web) • Proposed the project report
Methodology Literature Review Documentary and Internet Survey Japanese Information on WWW are the methods of the study. Japan is one of the most important
countries in the world as it is the center of Scope of Project world innovation, industry and economy so The project is conducted and the information about Japan is needed by focused on social science resources of the users both within and outside the country. Japanese Information and WebPages Unfortunately, Japan has been previously written in English language. pointed out to be an uninformative society Benefits as its information resources are tightly
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accessible by public. Because of the 3. Nearly all of Japan’s public policy dramatic changes in information technology documents are “grey literature” - and policies for information dissemination, materials with limited publication Japan will inevitably become more open runs and distribution. with its information resources together with 4. Information access is limited to a its public policy. selected few. In Japan, this lack of transparency prompts private National Characteristics of Japanese companies to employ retired Information upper-echelon government officials The national characteristics of to coordinate their information Japanese information that might affect collection with the government. public accessibility can be concluded as 5. Japanese information is derived the followings (Morita, Ichiko : http:// from Japan’s tradition of vertical www.nmjc.org/jiap/jdc/ cyberjapan/morita): social linkage. The Japanese 1. Most information stays within the group that depends on a highly government and the Government developed sense of trust and agencies sanction fund for social, loyalty is narrow defined and economic, technical, and industrial surprisingly rigid. Information is research. shared only within a specific 2. The information from most of major ministry, agency, department, trade associations, nonprofit subsidiary, academic department, organizations, professional societies learned society, and research and think tanks is also difficult to specialty. obtain because these organi- 6. Because of an intense rivalry exists zations have strong ties to between governmental ministries, government agencies. Most as well as among the research information lacks of non-existence communities, which are corpora- bibliographic control and non- tions, laboratories or trade retention of documents. association. There is little impetus
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to share information between 1. The most important factor has organizations or groups, and those been the rapid development of outside of these established technologies and policies for cliques are excluded from access. information dissemination. Both the Ministry of International Trade and The other barriers excluding the Industry (MITI) and the Ministry of language barrier which might affect the Posts and Telecommunications accessibility of Japanese information are have produced extensive reports, there are no good guiding information white papers and policy state- systems to let the public know the ments promoting the “informa- existence of government information and tionalization” of Japanese Society the way to access them. Library systems (Japan. Ministry of Post and are poor and there are few professionals Telecommunications. Telecommu- who are trained for reference efficient nications Council : 1994) Efforts to services. The Internet may certainly be a deregulate Japan’s telecommu- solution to some of these problems nications infrastructure, expand because the documents can be put on the fiber optic networks, support Internet as WebPages or as databases, machine translation, and increase which are easily accessed by the public. Internet access and information all (Kaminuma, Tsuguchika: have the potential for making http://www.nmjc.org/jiap/jdc/cyberjapan/ka Japanese information among the minuma) most accessible worldwide. 2. Freedom of information. The Factors for Widening Japanese Information government of Japan, under Access administration of Prime Minister The factors for widening inter- Ryotaro Hashimoto, presented a national as well as Japanese public access national “information disclosure” to Japanese information are as the (joho kokai) bill to the Diet following: (Parliament) on March 27, 1998.
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Such a law would create a legally Japanese citizens, are brighter than they enforceable right of access to have ever been. Japanese national government files and make the bureaucracy Channels through which Japanese more open and accountable to the information enters the world via Internet Japanese public. Observers There are two kinds of channels pointed that the proposal still which Japanese information enter the clearly strict the availability of world: Formal channel and informal many categories of important channel. information and provides much broader discretion to officials Formal channel dispossession of the files. These There are two kinds of information accords with a long-standing on Japan and/or from Japan: published tradition in Japan of respect for and unpublished information. government officials, the domination 1. Published information. The of the legislative process by those printed format is a major format in which officials and a lack of transparency information on Japan and/or from Japan is in most government procedures. ( carried. This includes books, serials, Repita, Lawrence and Chafee, journals, reports, pamphlet, posters, etc. Jody : http: //www.nmjc.org/jiap/ Other media are microforms, such as spcerpts /joho.html) microfilms and microfiche; and electronic The democratization and deregu- information, such as on-line databases and lation of Japan’s information policies face CD-ROMs. In each non-print medium, many challenges. Culture and tradition some materials are reproductions of printed cannot change as rapidly as do technology originals, but some are particularly issued and international politics. Nevertheless, the only in those formats. prospects for access to Japanese One can purchase published information, both for foreigners and information sources in stores and through information vendors; if not found, they can
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usually be ordered. Libraries and published. At one extreme of unpublished information centers are other channels to materials is classified information, which is get to those resources. There are public made available only to a specifically libraries, school libraries, research and targeted agency, organization, or group of corporate libraries among many other people for whom the information is libraries. There are government and private intended. In between there is a kind of information centers, mostly non-profit. If the information which is not published, but not information is published in a serial, such as classified. Unlike classified information, CD-ROMs or on-line databases, one must these are obtainable. This is the category of have some particular equipment and/or literature which is usually referred to as software. Japanese CD-ROMs often require “grey literature” because it falls between Japanese CD-ROM readers. If the white (published and widely distributed) electronic information is in Japanese and black (classified). characters, proper software and operating Japanese grey literature, also systems are needed to receive and display known as difficult-to-obtain literature, or print them. In addition, some also require encompasses a wide range of information. Japanese printers. It is very intriguing and challenging work to According to the progress of obtain grey literature, especially up-to-date Internet technology including electronic information on Japan and/or from Japan. commerce, most libraries, information Some examples to grey literature are: center, government agencies, information vendors as well as publishers have their all sorts of reports, including own WebPages on Internet so that their government agencies’ reports, customers worldwide can be easily financial reports by financial accessible their products and services via organizations, technical reports by network. research institutes 2. Unpublished information. Besides statistics such published information, there is a great policy statements, draft legislation deal of information in Japan which is not economic trends and forecasts
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company promotional and other Discussion Forums etc. The members can PR materials communicate each other via e-mail. preprints, proceedings of confe- rences Internet and Japanese Information Access These types of primary information Internet has made an impact on source are usually distributed directly by access to Japanese information both the original issuing agencies, such as amount and variety. Motohiro Tsuchiga government agencies, research institutions, (Keio University) suggested that evolving and corporate body. A large volume of technologies may urge the Japanese information is distributed in these formats. towards more openness, as evident in the Therefore, it is important not to miss the number of government homepages information issued in this category of grey growing to 1,112 in March 1997 from a literature. mere 127 one year earlier. (Japan There are some important sources Documentation Center, Library of that Japanese grey literature can be Congress: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/jdc/news- obtainable via Internet. They are Japan 4.html) Documentation Center, Library of Congress The Japanese Government is (JDC), National Council of Science improving both its information systems and Information System (NACSIS) and Japan its information services. According to the Information Access Project (JIAP). Program for Advanced Information Infrastructure of the Ministry of International Informal channel Trade and Industry (MITI: http://www The informal channel is another glocom.ac.jp/NEWS/MITI-doc.hmtl), its channel through which Japanese purpose is to clearly defined MITI’s information distributed worldwide. For concepts of the directions that the someone who are interested in Japan can advanced information infrastructure society join the discussion groups about Japan should take, and to propose specific policy such as H-Japan, ESL Japan.com program for each field. Both environment for realizing advanced information society
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and providing high-grade contents and Followings are some important applications were improved. Some of sites and services on Internet from which concrete measures for FY 1994 were Japanese information could be found and improvement of administrative information obtained: databases and supply via networks, 1. The Japan Documentation Center establishment of networks for research, (JDC): collects current Japanese construction of library networks and information on Japan’s public electronic library system. It shows the way policy, especially source materials to unleash information and knowledge to in economics, commerce, and the public. Thus, one of the most interesting industry, law, politics, the possibilities of the Internet’s impact on environment, national defense and Japan is that it may overcome Japan’s social conditions. The materials traditional weakness in information are collected from government dissemination and may change Japan into and private sources. Most a more open and more informative society. information which is difficult to This evident can be seen from “The Fifth obtain is usually referred as “grey International Conference on Japanese literature” ( policy studies and Information” held at the Library of Congress reports, white papers and annual July 30 to August 1, 1997. The issues were reports, draft legislation, think-tank focused on how to evaluate the abundant reports, public opinion polls, print and electronic sources, systems conference proceedings) and compatibility, and ways the Internet approximately 95 % of the continues to open up new possibilities for materials are in Japanese. The management and distribution of remainders are in English. The information. Whereas how to gain access to English abstracts are created for Japanese information was a central focus each document to help users of the first conference held in Warwick, determine the contents of the England, in 1987. Japanese materials. Additionally, there is a searchable database of
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JDC Bibliographic database which Sports and Culture was is presently free to scholars and inaugurated in April 1986. NACSIS researchers interested in Japan’s is one of the Inter-University public policy. The user can Research Institutes which serves request documents online without all university researchers in Japan. any Its function is to gather, organize charge.(http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/jdc) and provide scholarly information 2. Japan Information Access Project: and relevant systems. the nonprofit organization, which (http://www.nacsis.ac.jp) has the objectives to train people 5. Dun& Bradstreet Japan (File DNJA on how to evaluate, acquire, and on DataStar) is a directory use effectively Japan-related database recently available on information. It provides library DataStar through a partnership services; databases, Internet links, between Dun& Bradstreet and and translation to Japanese Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd. (TSR). sources all complement our The database covers nearly 90% efforts. (http://www.nmjc.org/jiap), of Japan’s corporate activity with 3. Gateway Japan: Research details on 250,000 of the largest Database Business Support Japanese companies as measured Information Japanese government, by sales. Its records include procurement announcements, current contact information, back- market news and research, Japan ground information, and sales Economic Institute monthly profit figures for the last three business reports. Research and years in yen and dollars. Usage Policy Documents on Japan policy cost is $6.21 per full record. issues. (http://www. gwjapan.com) (http://www.krinfo.com/) 4. The National Center for Science 6. Maruzen Company, Ltd. Maruzen Information Systems (NACSIS) of has earned a solid position as one the Ministry of Education, Science, of Japan's leading booksellers,
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and the Company has also Unless explicitly modified, the static diversified into other areas. In WebPages presents identical information-related fields, information to all viewers. Maruzen's business activities 2. An interactive WebPages is a include providing multimedia customized document which uses information services, developing interactive WebPages allows users networks, marketing office auto- to submit forms, query databases, mation equipment, and offering format results, structure displays, facilities development services. and access password- protected (http://www.maruzen.co.jp/) areas of a site. (O’Neill, Edward T.: http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla63/63onee. World Wide Web htm) The World Wide Web(WWW) is a form of Internet access. Using special Related Works browser software (such as Netscape or There are several survey Internet Explorer), users can access a researches concerned the status of range of Internet services. Additionally, the Japanese information dissemination, Web has its own special protocol, information delivery channels of Japanese Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which information, and WebPages content. permits the transmission of hypertext documents. The flexibility of the Web and The Status of Japanese Information its ability to deliver hypertext, graphics- Dissemination and Information Delivery oriented documents has made it the most it Channels the most visible segment of the Internet The survey done by the Database today .There are two types of WebPages: Promotion Center, Japan (DPC) (http:// static and interactive. www.dpc.or.jp/ndpc/eng/dbjpn/dbj98/ 1. A static WebPages is a document dbin98.hmtl) in 1998 revealed the important that can be read from top to bottom point of the Internet utilizing status of the without leaving the document. database service companies in Japan. The
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companies currently providing database “Comparative Study of Internet Using services via the Internet increased from 22 between University Libraries in Thailand (27.8%) to 33 (42.3%) and the database and Japan” (Nimsomboon, Narit: 1997) services provided via the Internet by 33 showed that Japanese university libraries companies are “character, numerical and have used WebPages as the tools for still picture information service on the library service access and the important WWW” which accounted for the largest services such as online database services, proportion at 90.9%. The Internet is were put on libraries’ WebPages. In currently being used by 514 companies addition, Sekiguchi and Anderson found (85.0%) among the 605 replies. The that both local government and national number of the ‘company’ users doubled government are determined to increase when comparing with last year and the their Information System (IS) utilization and number of database being supplied there are the visible signs of these changes overseas from Japan has continued to such as one-stop shopping, tele-access to increase since this survey has been started government information, digital libraries, in 1987, and as of July 1997. This result is office automation, etc. Although only about relevant to the survey of USACO 20% of government uses the Internet and Corporation, a large book and online primarily for the display of information on distributor (Hawkins, Donald: 1996). It culture events, such as tourist information, states that most overseas publishers, and for attracting business, Few of the vendors, and scientific organization in the WebPages provided by local government U.S., Europe, and Taiwan have introduced in Japan allow its citizen to send e-mail to the Internet into their organizations since the department mailbox and the result also 1992 and WebPages are being used for the showed that some cities don’t dissemination of corporate information, simultaneously publish some data such as product/services introductions, pricing the citizen’s opinions on issues on the city’s information, public relations, and electronic WebPages. (Sekiguchi : 1999) commerce. Also, the survey research
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WebPages Content Analysis institution, government including personal According to the research done by constructed WebPages to disseminate Deb Aikat (http://www.unc.edu /~daikat/ their activities, products/services, pricing dissabs.html) and Edward T. O’ Neill, it information ,and electronic commerce via showed that the constructors of Internet. WebPages are: academies, government, commercial and private company. The Methodology and Procedure WebPages content could be categorized Documentary and Internet as the followings: survey research on WWW were the 1. Public Relation and advertising methods of the study which were 2. Data bank/General Information conducted through a WebPages survey 3. News forms to get a general views of Japanese 4. Service/product information Information on WWW: focus on social science resources. In conducting the 5. Bulletin board research, the WebPages survey form 6. Archives/exhibition comprised of comprehensive lists of URL 7. Entertainment details were developed. The researchers
8. Commentary reviewed all relevant literature as above- 9. Miscellaneous/other mentioned. According to the Library of Also the study concluded that the Congress Classification Scheme and WWW, with its global information universe, Thammasat University’s courses, the would be an important part of the classifications of subject coverage were information superhighway. divided and the analysis tables were According to related works, we constructed. The application programs, can conclude that Japanese information FOXPRO and SPSS were used for has been disseminated worldwide via selecting, collecting data and computing Internet and WebPages which are the their percentage of one thousand URL lists important tool to carry it. Most organizations from World Wide Web. both profit and non profit, academic
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WebPages Survey Construction • Facilities The WebPages survey forms utilized in this research were adapted from Administration of WebPages Survey Forms the studies on the national characteristics The WebPages survey forms were of Japanese information (Morita, Ichiko: administered to Japanese Information on http://nmjc.org/jiap/jdc/cyberjapan/morita), WWW: focus on social science resources. channels which Japanese information The purposes were to survey the status of disseminate through the world. (Morita, Japanese information dissemination to Ichiko T.: 1994) and the research result Thailand and the world, to analyze and done Deb Aikat (http://www.unc.edu/ gather information about Japan, to examine ~daikat/dissabs.html) and Edward T. O’ the information delivery channels and Neill. The WebPages survey forms were academic information resources of Japan, constructed in the English language. to create a homepage of Japanese information resources and their linking on Body of the WebPages Survey Form WWW. The body of the WebPages was Sampling and Scope of the Study formulated with an aim to get information on This investigation was limited to the following aspects: the Japanese Information: focus on social • Web page title science resources and only found in WWW. • URL The analysis of the study was based on the • Name of Constructors data provided by one thousand WebPages • Types of Constructors (URL), the criteria of selecting the data • Language samplings (WebPages) are as follows: • Country Lycos Network was considered as • Description of WebPages the following points : • WebPages Contents It’s currently one of the most visited hubs on the Internet reaching one • Last Update out of every two Webs users (source: • Subject Coverage Media Metrix). Its network of sites includes
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Lycos.Com, Tripod, Angelfire, WhoWhere, Data Preparation and Procedure of the Mailcity, HotBot, HotWired, WiredNews, Study Webmonkey, Suck.com, Quote.com, To attain the goals of the study, the Sonique, and Gamesville. Lycos’ search procedure of the study were the following engine and directory began with a steps; patented, intelligent technology that was 1. To review and study documentary originally created at Carnegie Mellon related to the research University. In 1998, the Lycos Network has 2. To constructed a form of become the largest and fastest growing. WebPages in order to set their Online community with more than 5 million details. registered Tripod and Angelfire members. 3. To survey the WebPages of Sites using Open Directory data include Japanese Information Lycos and free use license. The Open 4. To analyze the data from Internet Directory is a compilation of many different Survey through use of frequencies editors’ contributions. Directories are and percentage usually human – compiled guides to the 5. To present the research report; web, where sites are organized by results, conclusions, discussions category. and suggestions.
Analysis and Conclusions The Purpose of this study has four EBSCOHOST service was one of points as follows: firstly, to survey the the database service status of Japanese information dissemi- It’s a free database service that nation to Thailand and global ; secondly, to Thammasat University provided to their analyze and gather information about members. The related web results from Japan; thirdly, to examine the information searching with keywords “Japan OR delivery channels and academic infor- Japanese” are included and analyzed in mation resources of Japan; and finally, to this study. create a homepage of Japanese infor-
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mation resources and their linking on www. • Most of the subject coverage was The consequence presented after analysis culture / art, history, and geography / of the 1,000 data population (WebPages) anthropology / recreation respectively. were closely examined, analyzed and computed by using frequencies and Referring to the study of the percentage analysis. The research results information delivery channels and were shown in the following tables and academic information, there were two charts: channels of Japanese information Referring to the objectives of the study, disseminating to the world: Followings are the major findings: • Formal Channel was divided into 2 • The first highest number of the types: published information and constructor was Profit Organization unpublished information. Internet • Most of Japanese information were utilization through WebPages of provided by Japan constructors were mostly used for • Most of Japanese information disseminating to the global being utilized through out the world • Informal Channel was also used for companies and organizations were disseminating Japanese information in English. through worldwide by using • Most of WebPages have provided internet as a means for discussion none of facility’s search such as groups, networking and etc. subject trees, keywords and etc. • Most of WebPages did not define Concerning the homepage cons- the update homepages regularly. truction, the Japanese Information: Focus • Most of WebPages contents were on Social Science Resources’ WebPages articles, links and corporate / conducted by the study is located at organization information respectively. http://202.28.73.6
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Recommendations versions. In the English version, a very Finally, recommendations are short and brief summary was displayed. suggested for the development and On the contrary, the more details were in implementation of WebPages construction Japanese version. In addition to the Grey and channels through Japanese Literature, there were approximately 95% of information in order to facilitate the users the Japan Documentation Center’s material who are interested in Japanese studies. was provided in Japanese language.(see The recommendations emerged from this more details in chapter 2) This study study are as follows: showed that the English language played 1) Languages the important roles on the Japanese According to the scope of the Studies via Internet. From observation we study, most of data sampling were written found that most of Japanese information in English. However, there are WebPages focusing on Social Science Resources written in other language. For examples, WebPages was written in English. the WebPages of Japanese Organizations However, ones who are interested in were written in English language. Since Japanese studies will receive more most of our data observation were Profit advantages from learning Japanese Organizations which earned income by language. providing their services through the world. 2) WebPages Contents Thus, it’s necessary to have 2 versions for Most of WebPages contents were their WebPages; one is the native language corporate and organization information that and the other should be International moved around and pertained to promoting language; English was proposed for this their products or services. WebPages case. This points out that the Japanese contents’ styles were presented in term of information spread all over the world short articles. So, it is too brief to though the problems of language barrier understand clearly. If it is not a burden of still exist. For example, the WebPages of the constructors, database and full text Whitepaper of the Japanese Organization should be provided because they will be were written in English and Japanese value added to the WebPages.
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3) Constructors geography and etc., respectively. Besides Regarding to the observation, these three above- mentioned themes ( there were a variety of constructors culture , history and geography) , the providing Japanese information such as constructors should increase more subjects government, library, organization and etc. in WebPages m than only the three themes The highest number of constructors was in order to give more benefits to the one profit organization, the second were who is interested in Japanese studies. government and the third were personal 5) Countries WebPages and etc., respectively. However, From observation, there was more WebPages of the government especially than ten countries dissemination the the local government ignored to provide or information for Japanese Studies. Among distribute as much useful and valuable these countries Japan ranks the first and information to the people or public as the the United States of America the second in government should do. The above – term of the number of the WebPages. This mentioned writing agree with the research phenomenon gave the benefits to the users works. From the study, the researchers because Japan originally produced their expected that among the various own information. However, the users were constructors, universities should provide able to directly get Japanese information Japanese Information WebPages written in from view point of the United States of English language more than the others. On America. We hoped the numbers Japanese the contrary, we found that the universities’ information WebPages produced by other rank was almost the last. However, if this countries were increased so that the users study focuses on the WebPages written in will receive various views points from Japanese language, the universities’ rank different countries. Yet, the numbers of non may not be almost the last. defining countries rather peaked. We 4) Subject Coverage hoped that the WebPages constructors Regarding to the 13 themes of should clearly define their sources of sites subject Coverage found from the survey, especially WebPages that their domain most of them were culture, history, names were dot com ( .com) or free
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homepages. If the constructors can clearly 8) General Information define their sources, it will make the From the research study, it was WebPages more reliable. found that WebPages were very useful for 6) Facilities the Japanese studies because the There were a few of facilities for WebPages were tools to access Japanese searching the information such as Information quickly and effectively. Some keywords or subject trees which was information were very helpful such as necessary for the users. There should also statistic, policy statement, draft legislation be keywords or tree diagrams in Japanese and etc. However, it was found that these Information WebPages because users can information were still inadequate. Users use the tree diagrams to browse for the who interested in Japanese studies still general information. If ones required have to depend on printed matter such as specific information, Search engines or textbooks, journals, newspapers and etc. keywords will be used. The constructors who followed by these suggestions will make more value added to their WebPages.
7) Update Most of the surveyed homepages were not defined update homepages. Therefore, the researchers suggested that the constructors should regularly update every WebPages and inform the update
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Bibliographies
Aikat, Deb. Adventure in Cyberspace: Japan Documentation Center (JDC) JDC Exploring the Information Content of Newsletter no.4 (Oct.97) the World Wide Web Pages on the
97 วารสารเอเชียตะวันออกศึกษา Journal of East Asian Studies
Mahoney, Tracy Callahan. Accessing O’ Neill, Edward T. Characteristics of Web Culture & Educational Materials Accessible Information
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