Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ), a Japanese Internet access and network solutions provider, will participate along with its IIJ Technology Inc. subsidiary in testing radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on international shipping containers as part of the FY2004 RFID Pilot Project run by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI). The government-sponsored pilot project covers a total of 20 factories or ports in four sites each in Japan and overseas, mainly run by the Japan Federation of Freight Industries, and will take place through March 2005.
Pilot locations include Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe, Los Angeles, Antwerp, Hong Kong, and Dalien. Test products will include timber, chemicals, drum units, plasma televisions, toys and other items.
The IIJ Group will provide network infrastructure and the Electronic Product Code (EPC) System, which is based on the EPC network framework promoted by EPCglobal. The EPC System enables the recording, referencing, and updating of RFID tag information, such as tag code, freight attributes and tracking data over the Internet.
The pilot test will use the EPC System to demonstrate how RFID can increase distribution efficiency by improving the overall process along trade lanes, including at the point of origin in the factory, in land and sea transportation, and at the final destination.
IIJ has already participated in another RFID pilot project with a large apparel maker. In 2005, IIJ will begin offering an Auto-ID Solutions Service that enables customers to implement RFID tag systems more easily by using EPC System components.
The RFID pilot is one of several programs METI has instituted to modernize supply chain operations in Japan.
