Abstract :
In April 1981 the Japanese government announced a long-range program to develop computing capabilities so advanced they would be of unrivaled usefulness in helping Japanese society prepare for the future. By the end of the decade or so, Japan proposed to extend the frontiers of computer science and engineering to the point where intelligent, superpowerful computers might be capable of serving as expert consultants to the government itself. The proposed applications would run the gamut from increasing productivity and conserving energy to providing medical, educational, and other social support.
