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TENDENCY OF STANDARDIZATION OF SPATIAL DATA AND PRESENT 
ITS APPLICATION TO PRODUCTION DATA IN JAPAN 
STATE OF 
Takashi TAKEMOTO, Koji MIZUKAMI 
Kokusai Kogyo CO.,LTD, 3-6-1 Asahigaoka, Hino City, Tokyo, 191-0065 JAPAN - takashi_takemoto@kkc.co.jp 
koji_mizukami@kkc.co.jp 
Commission | , WG [1/4 
KEY WORDS: GIS, standardization, ISO / TC211, JSGI, data product specifications, quality evaluation procedures, metadata 
Road GIS 
ABSTRACT: 
Administrative agencies in our country are considering that the use of GIS is the effective means to improve and enhance the 
efficiency and accuracy of their business for improving the services to citizens and satisfying the needs of explanatory obligations. 
On the other hand, the huge amount of cost necessary for the arrangement of data is the impedimental factor for the utilization GIS 
as it is necessary to collect various spatial data such as the data of roads and buildings, land use, etc. One of the means to solve this 
problem is to define the standards such as of encoding specifications, spatial schema and to establish the system to facilitate the 
interoperability of spatial data (standardization). As for the standardization of spatial data, the International Organization for 
Standardization (ISO) has organized *ISO / TC211" and has defined the international standard. In line with this movement, our 
country has laid down "Japanese Standards for Geographic Information (JSGI)" incorporating it to JIS, and is employing it as the 
technical standard of governmental agencies. In concrete, the activities have already started in the areas such as definition of data 
product specification, construction of clearing-house, arrangement of metadata and web services. Especially as for the definition of 
data product specifications, almost all of the governmental agencies handling the spatial data are proceeding with this activity, which 
is considered to exert a great influence on the data users and producers. In this representation, we will introduce the meaning of 
standardization of spatial data, present state in our country and the examples of application of data production, and explain the 
present issues and future prospects. As for the example of production data application, we will take up the spatial data used for the 
business of road facility management, and will introduce and explain the standards conforming to the defined data product 
specifications such as the rules for application schema, spatial schema, temporal schema, principle of quality, quality evaluation 
procedures, spatial referencing by coordinates, metadata and encoding specifications. In addition, we will introduce the example of 
created spatial data (XML format) and its application to construction of map. Lastly, we will describe the idea of supply of value 
added data and importance of quality assurance as an example of influence that the standardization of spatial data may exert on the 
data producers. 
I. SIGNIFICANCE AND TREND OF SPATIAL DATA 1.2 Trend of standardization 
STANDARDIZATION 
1.2.1 Trend of international standardization 
1.1 Significance of standardization As for the international standardization, ISO / TC211 
(geographical information / geomatics) was establish in April 
Utilization of administrative information has been expedited in 
Japan in an aim to simplify the administrative works, improve 
the efficiency and transparency and offer advanced services to 
the nation by applying information communication technologies 
(IT) to everv field of administration and reviewing the 
voiiventional system and practice accordingly. Among them, 
GIS (geographical information system has an important role as 
the information infrastructure, and therefore, has been promoted 
and expedited according to “GIS Action Program 2002 — 2005.” 
On the other hand, however, the preparation of spatial data 
has been a great stumbling block for the dissemination of GIS. 
l'his is because the huge cost is required for the arrangement of 
data as the spatial data prepared by various agencies cannot be 
easily exchanged each other in introducing the GIS. The 
"standardization of spatial data" is effective to address this 
problem. If the standard governing the spatial data is specified, 
the users and producers of data can easily exchange the data 
each other by following this standard. Following significance 
ed effect can be expected to the "standardization of spatial 
ata." 
1994 as 21 Ith expert committee of ISO and is now working out 
the standard for geographical information. 
The standard worked out by ISO / TC211 roughly has the 
structure of 3 layers (Fig.1). There is the “standard that supports 
the standard” relating to the phraseology, conformity and tests 
at the base, upon which positioned is the spatial information 
model. In addition, the standard relating to the acquisition, 
management, exchange and application of data is positioned on 
it. 
Acquire Manage grata Applica 
uality principle 
gay rnc evaluation ment Ann) 
procedure Metadata 
£ositioning services | Methodology de cs -Bortrayal 
Bata product for feature Encoding ‚etc 
  
  
     
   
     
  
specifications cataloguing ‚etc 
‚etc ‚etc 
  
Spatial_information model 
Spatial schema , Temporal schema , Rules for application schema 
, Spatial referencing by coordinates ,etc 
The standard supporting a standard 
Terminology,Conformance and testing,Conceptual schema language, etc 
  
  
Figure 1. System of standard