SUMMARY

The best summary for this section is simply a quotation from the MITI report: "As described above, advanced information technology will disseminate rapidly in the industrial sector following the principle of economic rationality, if the economic effects are greater than the costs involved. However, the introduction of information technology to homes is attainable only if consumers become used to the new forms of service apart from the issue of cost. If the costs are reduced, advanced utilization of information in this area will be rapidly realized, with increased demand for services providing one-way transmission of images such as video-on-demand and home shopping, or services utilizing packaged media including CD-ROM."