Project Introduction

Official microdata related Project

Project for the Promotion of Secondary Use System of Official Statistical Data

Project Summary and Anticipated Outcomes and Goals

This project supports the MIC-led initiative to develop remote-access on-site use facilities nationwide, and studies models for the maintenance and dissemination of on-site use facilities.
Through the nationwide development of on-site use facilities, we shall promote the use of official statistics, including questionnaire information from statistical surveys conducted by ministries and agencies, for academic research. Additionally, we shall support the promotion of data-based decision-making through the linking of the results of such surveys to policy proposals.

Project Background

According to the 2007 amendment to the Statistics Law, the “extra-purpose use” of micro-data (questionnaire information) collected by government ministries and agencies is permitted for academic research purposes. However, there have been difficulties in using survey questionnaire information as a certain level of assurance of public interest has been required, such as obtaining external research funding. Therefore, the Statistics Law was revised in 2018 to further promote the use of questionnaire information for academic research purposes. That is, the “production of statistics that contributes to the development of academic research” was clearly stated in the law, and the criteria for ensuring public interest were relaxed by assuming remote-access on-site use. The National Statistics Center and Statistical Data Utilization Center are promoting the establishment of on-site use facilities at universities and other research institutions to encourage the use of statistics and increase convenience. Moving forward, we will need to prepare facility development model cases to further spread and expand the establishment of these facilities. In this project, we are creating and disseminating facility development model cases through a cooperative agreement between the Research Organization of Information and Systems (ROIS) and National Statistics Center. Further, we are providing a database and data use environment via our on-site use facilities.

Project Research and Development Content

Provision of anonymous data
  • Reception of applications for use as a satellite organization of the Statistics Center
Management of on-site use facilities: Provision of a secure data use environment
  • Management of remote access and offline on-site use
  • Examination of on-site use facilities development models via facility management
Operation of the International Official Statistics Microdata Database (IOSMDB)
  • Offline on-site use of anonymous household survey data from nine Southeast Asian countries based on a cooperative agreement with the Statistical Information Institute for Consulting and Analysis (Sinfonica).
Support for the establishment of on-site use facilities
  • Support through consultation and advice for institutions wishing to set up their own on-site use facilities
Management of the Public Statistics Micro-Data Research Consortium
  • Widely disseminating the significance and support of the secondary use of official statistics and the development of remote access on-site use facilities and examining and resolving various problems through collaboration between academia, government, and industry
  • This project will run the office and support activities
Figure 1 Project implementation system
Figure 2 On-site analysis laboratory
Figure 3 Public Statistics Micro-Data Research Consortium Symposium