� 1 Increased Expectations for the Promotion of Culture, and Cultural Policy
4. Future Directions of Cultural Policy
(10) Development of a cultural information system
The recent trend of diversification in cultural activities and an increased amount of participation therein are a clear indication of people's growing interest in culture. In order to meet this need. utilization of a variety of information concerning culture is indispensable to the effective promotion of cultural policy. To this end, information about cultural activity organizations and their leaders, museum collections and exhibitions, performing arts and so on should be compiled in data base systems and made readily available to officials in charge of cultural policy, to experts in the field of cultural policy and to the general public. It is thus expected to forma network in which the central and local governments, cultural facilities cultural organizations, etc. can cooperate with each other.
With respect to a cultural property information network. because of the nationwide distribution of various types of cultural properties. in order to adequately meet the various demands for information made by those engaged in research and study, the establishment of a network that will effectively collect and provide. information is needed to support research and investigation for the protection of cultural properties as well as policy planning for their preservation and utilization. Needless to say, this is indispensable as well for carrying out education and research smoothly at cultural properties research institutes and buried cultural property centers. Furthermore, an information network is an important means of meeting diversified needs of those who make use of museums, historical and folklore museums and the like, as well as being a means of answering an increasing interest in authentic articles which has been stimulated by a sophisticated, interdisciplinary approach to scientific research in the field of humanities. The steady promotion of a nationwide information system will be a vital future task.
