Promotion of Safe Community Building by Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS
Gifu Prefecture

A. Problem Analysis

 1. What was the problem before the implementation of the initiative?
1. Repetitive, Overlapping Map Making Local governments make maps in various types of tasks to control and maintain social infrastructure such as roadways, forest management, urban development, some of which are mandatory by law. As expenses of these maps tend to increase every year, repetitive, overlapping map making was simply a waste of tax money. 2. Shared and Secondary Use of Map Information Local governments had compiled and edited all kinds of map information but in most cases, such information was kept on papers only and its shared use was not available. Thus one of the major challenges for the governments was a shared use of map information. Among others, in the field of disaster prevention, it was urgent to integrate all map information about potentially vulnerable places to natural disasters, shelters and evacuation routes. Smooth sharing and secondary use of map information had long been advocated for years.

B. Strategic Approach

 2. What was the solution?
1. Development and Updating of “Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data” Gifu Prefecture created an electronic map called, “Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data” by integrating the maps Gifu Prefecture and the municipalities had separately developed. This electronic map is jointly operated and updated every year by Gifu Prefecture and the municipalities. It covers the whole regions of Gifu Prefecture and can be used for various purposes including government administrative work as a statutory map. With the completion of the electronic map, Gifu Prefecture has considerably eliminated repetitive, overlapping map making. 2. Development and Use of “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS (Geographic Information System)” Gifu Prefecture has been developing and updating the “Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data” and also the “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS (Geographic Information System)” as a tool for creation, shared use and distribution of electronic map information more effectively. Before the “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS,” Gifu Prefecture had already developed the cross-sectional integrated GIS within the government offices under which map information such as roadways, buildings, rivers, etc, is widely shared by each division and department. The “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS” is an upgraded version of this GIS, and its information already covers the whole regions of Gifu Prefecture. Currently, Gifu Prefecture and a total of 42 local municipalities are able to access this “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS.” Gifu Prefecture is actively pushing forward the development and the use of geographic spatial information through the “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS” to assist and execute government programs and projects, and also to provide crucial map information for Gifu citizens for various purposes including disaster prevention, welfare services, child-raising and environmental protection.

 3. How did the initiative solve the problem and improve people’s lives?
○ “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS” is the nation’s first as an integrated GIS whose information can be shared by Gifu Prefecture and the whole regions within the prefecture. ○ An electronic map, “Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data” which covers all corners of Gifu Prefecture, is also the nation’s first statutory map applicable to government administrative work.

C. Execution and Implementation

 4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
Fiscal 1997 to Fiscal 2000 ・Gifu Prefecture and the municipal governments set up an examination committee to discuss development of the GIS programs in Gifu Prefecture. The committee members deliberated on the new GIS programs, determined its future goals and created the fundamental design of GIS. Fiscal 2001 to Fiscal 2002 ・Developed the “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS” ・To start the “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS”, the Gifu Prefecture Furusato Geographical Data Center was established within the Construction Research Center of Gifu Prefecture in November 2001. This Gifu Prefecture Furusato Geographical Data Center is responsible for spatial data operation and administration, information supply and distribution for government, industries and academia, and promotion of the GIS. Fiscal 2003 to Fiscal 2005 ・Developed of the Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data ・Developed the system of the “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS” From Fiscal 2006 ・Started the “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS” ・Updated the Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data ・Examination committees called, “Gifu Prefecture e-Government Promotion Municipalities and Prefecture Liaison Council / Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS Use Examination Working Group” was jointly convened by Gifu Prefecture and the municipal governments in order to discuss how to promote the use of the “Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS.”

 5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
○ Gifu Prefecture ・Both Gif Prefecture and the municipal governments examined the feasibilities of the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS and worked together for its realization. ・Gifu Prefecture bore the cost of initial system development for the Gifu Prefecture Share Spatial Data. ・Gifu Prefecture bore the management cost after the operation of the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS started (half the cost) ・Gifu Prefecture compiled the map information, a basis for the Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data (information is mainly about the prefecture-administering roadways and forests). ・Gifu Prefecture compiled and edited different types of maps to update the Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data ○ Municipal Governments ・Both Gif Prefecture and the municipal governments examined the feasibilities of the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS and worked together for its realization. ・The municipal governments bore the management cost after the operation of the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS started (half the cost) ・The municipal governments compiled the map information, a basis for the Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data (information is mainly about the urban planning zones) ○ The Construction Research Center of Gifu Prefecture ・The Construction Research Center of Gifu Prefecture established the Gifu Prefecture Furusato Geographical Data Center. The Furusato Geographical Data Center is responsible for developing, managing and advancing the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS. ・The Construction Research Center of Gifu Prefecture made the specification and carried out the quality examination to create Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data.
 6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
○ The Construction Research Center of Gifu Prefecture carried out an initial development of the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS through financial aids from Gifu Prefecture. Period for Initial Development: from 2001 to 2005 Financial Aids: approximately 1.1 billion yen After the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS starts, Gifu Prefecture and the municipal governments share the management cost. Annual Management Cost: Approximately 50 million yen (Gifu Prefecture and the municipal governments share half the cost respectively) Cost for Updating the Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data: Approximately 20 million yen (born by Gifu Prefecture)

 7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
○ Development of the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS by which the map information is shared across Gifu Prefecture. ○ Development of the Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data has eliminated repetitive, overlapping map making and the map shows particularly high accuracy in higher elevation areas in Gifu Prefecture compared to conventional maps circulated in the market. ○ Map information for disaster prevention, welfare services, etc. is more accessible to the citizens as a result of the development of these two new systems.

 8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
○ Promotion of programs by an examination committee made up of Gifu Prefecture and the municipal governments ・The meetings of the ”Gifu Prefecture e-Government Promotion Municipalities and Prefecture Liaison Council / Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS Use Examination Working Group,” which is composed of Gifu Prefecture and the municipal governments, were held three times per year, and the members confirmed the state of progress for individual programs using the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS. They also discussed how to draft and implement future programs. ・ System Development by the Gifu Prefecture Furusato Geographical Data Center The Gifu Prefecture Furusato Geographical Data Center conducts the questionnaires for the users of the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS every year and keeps on improving the system based on the questionnaires results.

 9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
○ Cooperation from the municipal governments in updating the “Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data” The electronic map, “Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data” has been updated by utilizing its common fundamental design and by referring to the prefecture-made forest and roadway register maps and the municipal government-made urban planning maps. In order to update the “Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data,” cooperation from the municipalities is indispensable. Although Gifu Prefecture concluded an agreement called, “Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data Management Agreement” with the municipal governments to build an update scheme, not all the municipalities are the parties to this agreement. Therefore, Gifu Prefecture continues to persuade the whole municipalities to join.

D. Impact and Sustainability

 10. What were the key benefits resulting from this initiative?
1. Prevention of Natural Disasters by Use of Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS The Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS offers highly accurate map information particularly in higher elevated regions in Gifu Prefecture, and its information can be shared across the prefecture. This system has been in wide use by Gifu Prefecture and the municipal governments for all kinds of purposes. People today are more concerned about massive-scale natural disasters such as earthquakes and heavy rains, and to deal with such people’s concerns, disaster prevention maps are in the making by using the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS. Its disaster prevention information is already shared extensively by Gifu citizens. (1) Publicizing of the Earthquake Map (to get prepared for much-predicted Tokai and Tonankai big earthquakes) Gifu Prefecture publicizes the Earthquake Map for citizens to get prepared for the predicted Tokai and Tonankai Earthquake based on the survey results by the “Gifu Prefecture Tokai Earthquake Possible Damage Survey Committee.” (2) Publication of 1/25,000 Gifu Prefecture Active Fault Map Gifu Prefecture publicizes 1/25,000 scale of active fault map to raise people’s awareness of active faults within Gifu Prefecture, and to help people get prepared for major earthquakes themselves. (3) Development of Gifu Mountain and River Hazard Map (website) Gifu Prefecture operates the website by which citizens can access the latest information about mountains and rivers vulnerable to natural disasters such as mudslides and flooding. All people have to do is just enter the postal codes of the places they are looking for in this website. 2. Use of Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS for Creation of Hazard Map The Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS provides a variety of disaster-prevention information and is accessible to anybody. The Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS is already in active use by the municipal governments and the local autonomies in Gifu Prefecture in their efforts of creating their own hazard maps. (1) Use of Municipal Hazard Map By taking advantage of the joint use of the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS, the municipal governments are creating hazard maps for their own cities and towns by referring to the prefecture-made disaster-prevention maps. (Example 1) “Kani City My Home Hazard Map” On July 15th, 2010, the devastating heavy rain hit Kani City, leaving many households flooded. To pass on the record of this tragic disaster to the next generation, local autonomies in Kani City created the “My Home Hazard Map” by using the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS and distributed the maps to individual households and also posted them on the Internet. In addition to the possible flooding areas, Kani City marked potentially vulnerable spots on the hazard map based on the residents' accounts who actually experienced the July 15th flooding, and informs the citizens of safer evacuation routes and shelters by this map. (2) Creation of Regional Disaster-Prevention Map Local autonomies in Gifu Prefecture created disaster-prevention maps for their own cities and towns by using the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS. (Example 2) “Gifu City Honjo District Project” Members of the Honjo District Local Autonomy Association in Gifu City are studying how to use the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS with the support of Gifu Prefecture, and are creating their own disaster-prevention maps. They actually used the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS for information gathering when they conducted an evacuation drill. (3) Promotion of Hazard Map Creation by GIS In making hazard maps by using GIS, there were no standards in how to indicate information on the maps, therefore Gifu Prefecture and the municipal government officials in charge of disaster-prevention set up a joint working group and created the “Guideline for Hazard Map Creation by GIS.”

 11. Did the initiative improve integrity and/or accountability in public service? (If applicable)
○ Joint use of Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS by Gifu Prefecture and the Municipal Governments The arrangement by which Gifu Prefecture and the municipal governments share the cost for the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS operation is already in place and will be maintained. ○ Establishment of Updating Scheme for Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Space Data The scheme by which Gifu Prefecture and the municipal governments can jointly update the electronic map, “Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data” is already functioning and the map is updated every year. Although not all the municipalities are members of this scheme, Gifu Prefecture will continue to work for an agreement with the rest of municipalities to join the scheme in an effort to complete the Gifu Prefecture Shared Spatial Data.

 12. Were special measures put in place to ensure that the initiative benefits women and girls and improves the situation of the poorest and most vulnerable? (If applicable)
Gifu Prefecture attended the “G Space×ICT Promotion Meeting” hosted by the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications as an official member. In this meeting, participants reconfirmed people’s high expectations for a diverse use of “geographic spatial information.” In operating the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS, Gifu Prefecture will continue to reinforce the functions of the system, develop human resources, support local autonomies’ disaster-prevention map creation, publicize geographic spatial information and examine the use of “big data” to further facilitate the use of the Prefecture-wide Integrated GIS by the government and across prefecture in the future.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   Gifu Prefecture
Institution Type:   Government Agency  
Contact Person:   Shinichiro Kumagaya
Title:   Manager  
Telephone/ Fax:   +81-58-272-8153/+81-58-278-2596
Institution's / Project's Website:  
E-mail:   c11120@pref.gifu.lg.jp  
Address:   2-1-1 Yabuta-minami
Postal Code:   500-8570
City:   Gifu-shi
State/Province:   Gifu
Country:  

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