News
2021-05-11　Kick-off event Video has been posted at the bottom of this description page.


Reports can be posted on each theme page.




Purpose
In anticipation of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, it is expected that there will be a large economic boost from a post-coronavirus increase in the number of foreign visitors to Japan and this is an element that it indispensable to the reactivation local industries. We are testing based on data and looking for policy ideas and proposals about what elements are necessary to achieve 60 million repeat visits by foreign tourists by 2030 and what is necessary to increase investment and consumption in Japan as well as the important elements that are required to foster good feeling towards Japan in order to increase the number of foreign visitors.

This contest expects to combine diverse open data crossed with the creation of new data usage and application examples, the discovery of excellent analytical technology and technicians as well as cultivating human resources.

The winners will be invited to attend the awards event in the middle of July and present the idea that they submitted and the results of analysis.

Theme
This contest has two themes: Discover the x-factor for repeaters to Japan! and Do you have to love Japan? and is looking for idea reports. Applicants can participate with either one of the themes.

テーマ A　Discover the x-factor for repeaters to Japan! B　Do you have to love Japan?
課題 Submission of policy ideas that clarify data analysis of the x-factor that contributes to increasing the rate of repeaters to Japan and specific explanation of how to control this x-factor. Respond yes or no to the question of ‘Do you have to love Japan?’ in order to increase the number of foreign visitors to Japan. If the answer is yes, propose policy ideas for what is required to increase the number of people who love Japan and if it is no, what other things are required.
懸賞 1st: Matsusaka beef steak (a value of 40,000yen)
2nd: Assorted seasonal fruits (a value of 20,000yen)
3rd: Assorted seasonal seafood (a value of 10,000yen)		 1st: Kobe beef shabu-shabu (a value of 40,000yen)
2nd: Assorted seasonal fruits (a value of 20,000yen)
3rd: Assorted seasonal seafood (a value of 10,000yen)

Kick-off Event
As a kick-off event for this contest, the panel discussion was held online with the theme of the capability of attractive regional industries beginning with Digital Transformation (DX) and the realization of Smart-city. You can watch the archived video of this panel discussion until the end of the contest, so please take a look!

Awards requirements
You must be available to participate in the awards event on 7th July (Wed) and able to present the contents of the report you submitted.

Awards event
• Date/time: afternoon of 7th July (Wed) (around 2 hours between 1pm and 5pm)
• Venue: online (Microsoft Teams, hosted by AP Hamamatsucho or AP Toranomon)

Judging
Evaluation through impartial judging at a judging committee to decide the winners. Judges are expected to be from structures such as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Japan National Tourist Organization.

Report
Please compile your report according to the instructions below.
• The report should be written in Japanese.
• Please convert files containing slides such as PowerPoint or Keynote into PDFs.
• Report file names should be: Theme A_（SIGNATE registered username）.pdf for Theme A（Discover the x-factor for repeat visits to Japan!) and Theme B_（SIGNATE registered used name）.pdf for Theme B (Do you have to love Japan?).
• Refer to the report format document and create your report with the 1st page as the cover (report title, SIGNATE registered used name) and the outline sheet on the 2nd page (fill in the outline according to the format instructions).
• Make sure to include the following information and create your report in 10 pages or less including the cover page and the outline sheet.
　　* Assertion
　　* Data analysis results (data analysis conducted to back up your assertion)
　　* Grounds (grounds that back up the assertions obtained from the data analysis)
　　* Citations/bibliography

Evaluation Standards
Emphasis will be placed on the following.
• Consistency: The story is logical and the contents are easy to understand.
• Convincing argument: The data analysis clearly shows grounds to back up the assertion and the meaning is easy to comprehend.
• Creativity: It is a unique policy idea.

Usage system
 • The number of posts is limited to 5 per day.
• Each participant must have an account. It is prohibited for one person to use multiple accounts or for multiple people to use one account.
• If you wish to participate as a team, please read the terms here and create a team. (Restrictions: teams can be created up to the last day of the competition and can have no more than 5 people including the team leader)
• As each theme is independent, it is necessary to create teams for each theme.

Handling of information
• Please freely share your data and analysis results.
• We recommend that processed data and analysis results are shared and that discussions concerning these are conducted on the forum set up on the pages of each theme.

Data usage
 • We are planning for participants to use open data to back up their own assertions.
• It is possible for individuals to collect and use data as long as it does not infringe the rights of a third party.

Preparedness
• Please use an approach with an awareness of practicality in conjunction with the premise of goals such as achieving corporate themes, solving social issues and sharing research results.

Data links
This is an excerpt of the kind of data that could be used as a reference in the contest.

Data linkCitation sourceOutline
Surveys of public opinion about JapanMinistry of Foreign AffairsResults of surveys of public opinion about Japan by country (pdf)
ODA data compilation by countryMinistry of Foreign AffairsResults of Overseas Development Assistance
Ranking of no. of visits to JapanJapan Tourism AgencyRanking of no. of visits to Japan by country (Japan was 12th in 2019)
Survey of consumer trends among foreign visitors to JapanJapan Tourism AgencyResults of actual consumption by foreign visitors to Japan
Japanese tourism statistics dataJapan National Tourist OrganizationActual data about visits to Japan
World statisticsMinistry of Internal Affairs and CommunicationsPossible to check the number of foreign tourists by country in Chapter 8
Survey of foreign students resident in JapanJapan Student Services OrganizationSurvey of status of foreign students resident in Japan
Commissioned survey reportMinistry of Economy, Trade and IndustryLink compilation of pas commissioned report
Surveys about visitors to JapanMinistry of Economy, Trade and IndustryInbound surveys, etc.

Disclosure policy

As a general rule, in accordance with Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the terms of participation, diclosing any contents such as insights and deliverables transmitted through the information or data provided by our company in relation to this competition is not permitted, however, only after the completion of this competition and for non-commercial purposes, it will be possible to disclose the contents within the score of the table below
Model *1
Public
Analysis results *2
Public
Public : Posting to social media sites, blogs and source repositories, and citing to papers
Restricted : Using in a limited range from research, education to seminars, where many unspecified people cannot access
*1 Execution unit source code and learned models
*2 The insights obtained using the information and data provided, or the solutions including scripts and processed data such as summary statistics

Terms of Participation in SIGNATE Competition

In order to participate in the Competition, you are required to agree to these Terms, in addition to the Terms of Use of SIGNATE.JP Site (hereinafter referred to as the “Terms of Use”). You should participate in the Competition after reading carefully and agreeing to these Terms. These Terms, the matters that are displayed as “additional matters” that you have agreed to when participating in a Competition, the Terms of Use and other terms and conditions that you have agreed to (hereinafter collectively referred to as “these Terms, etc.”) shall all be binding on the Participant.


Article 1. Definitions

１.For the purpose of these Terms, the following terms shall be defined as follows:

(１)"Site" means the website "SIGNATE (https://signate.jp)” on which the Competitions are posted.
(２)"Competition" means any competition on AI development or data analysis on the Site as held by the Host.
(３)"Host" is the host(s) of the Competitions. The Host may be SIGNATE, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”) or the Company’s client companies, affiliated companies, schools or organizations, etc. (hereinafter referred to as the “Client(s)”).
(４)"Participant(s)" means the member(s) who participate in a Competition.
(５)"Submissions" means, collectively, the analysis and prediction results and reports, etc. as submitted in the Competition.
(６)"Final Submissions" means the Submissions that are specified by a Participant on the prescribed page in the Site by the time of completion of a Competition.
(７)"Winner Candidate" means the Participant who has received a notice from the Company that he/she is nominated as a winner candidate.
(８)"Submissions for Final Judgment" means the analysis and prediction model and learning data, etc. as submitted by a Winner Candidate pursuant to the instructions of the Company.
(９)"Final Judgment" means the acceptance inspection and judgment, including reproducibility verification, by the Company for the Final Submissions and Submissions for Final Judgment of a Winner Candidate.
(１０)"Winner" means the Winner Candidate who is informed by the Company that he/she has won a prize.

Article 2 Competition

１.A member who desires to participate in a Competition shall be required to agree to these Terms and to satisfy the conditions for participation as specified in each such Competition. Any person who is not a member shall not participate in any Competition.
２.Participants shall participate in each Competition in the manner as advised by the Company and shall be obligated to comply with the rules as prescribed in each Competition.
３.Participants may submit the Submissions for the assignment of each Competition during the period of such Competition and submit a proposal on the method of solving the problem to the Host by the end of the period of the said Competition.
４.Participants may submit the Final Submissions in the form specified in each Competition by the time specified by the said Competition.
５.The Final Submissions as submitted shall be evaluated by the evaluation method as specified in each Competition and the final rank order shall be determined based on such evaluation.
６.Any Participant may, as a general rule, check the evaluation results of the Participant him/herself and each of the other Participants on the Site for the Submissions that may be evaluated quantitatively.
７.Participants shall be liable or otherwise responsible for their own Submissions, including their legality.
８.Participants shall not submit any Submissions that have no direct relationship to each Competition.
９.Unless otherwise provided for, Participants shall not directly communicate to, consult with, make a request to, solicit or take any other actions with the Host in respect of the matters related to a Competition during the period of the said Competition.
１０.Any Participant who has uncertainty or questions about any Competition shall make sure to contact the Company or its designee through the procedures prescribed by the Company as posted on the Site.
１１.The Company shall not be obligated to pay any remuneration or other consideration other than those prescribed in the following Article for any act of the Participants as prescribed in paragraphs hereof.

Article 3 Reward and Vesting of Rights

１.Unless otherwise provided for, any Participant shall satisfy the following requirements in order to be entitled to receive a reward in any Competition that offers a reward:

(１)To be a winner;
(２)To agree to transfer to the Host and the relevant transferee of rights in such Competition all transferable rights, such as copyrights, rights to obtain patents and know-how, etc. in and to all analysis and prediction results, reports, analysis and prediction model, algorithm, source code and documentations for the model reproducibility, etc., and the Submissions contained in the Final Submissions and Submissions for Final Judgment (including the rights as prescribed in Article 27 and Article 28 of the Copyright Act and the rights to obtain patents; hereinafter referred to as the "Rights");
(３)To agree that any relevant transferee of rights exclusively has the right to use the know-how contained in the Final Submissions and Submissions for Final Judgment for its own business and other purpose without any restriction;
(４)To agree not to exercise moral rights to the Rights against the relevant transferee of rights;
(５)To enter into an agreement for the transfer of the Rights with the relevant eligible transferee of rights, including the agreement to the matter in the preceding three (3) items and other reasonable provisions;
(６)To have the personal identity of such Participant verified by the Company.
(７)Not to breach any provision of these Terms and the Terms of Use.

２.Any Winner Candidate shall, after having received a notice from the Company that he/she is nominated as a winner candidate, submit the Submissions for Final Judgment on or before the designated date and communicate the matters requiring confirmation or response in relation to the Final Submissions and the Submissions for Final Judgment to the Company on or before the designated date, in accordance with the instructions of the Company. The Company shall carry out the final judgment based on such matters requiring confirmation or response. If the Company receives no confirmation or response satisfactory to the Company on or before the designated date, the Company may exclude such Winner Candidate from the subject of the final judgment and the Winner Candidate shall not raise any objection thereto.
３.If the Company considers that the Final Submissions or Submissions for Final Judgment need to be amended or modified, or there occur any additional matters requiring confirmation, in the course of the final judgment, any Winner Candidate shall take action or make response in relation to the matters that require amendment, etc. or the detailed information on the matters requiring confirmation, on or before the designated date in accordance with the instructions of the Company. If the Company receives no action or response satisfactory to the Company on or before the designated date, the Company may exclude such Winner Candidate from the final judgment and the Winner Candidate shall not raise any objection thereto.
４.The Company shall determine the Winner through the final judgment and inform the Winner to that effect.

Article 4 Confidentiality

１.Participants shall treat any information, data, or such contents as insights and deliverables transmitted through the service where they receive from the Company in relation to each Competition (hereinafter referred to as the "Company-Provided Information") as confidential information and shall not disclose the same to any third party and use the same for any purpose other than for such Competition and purpose specified by the Company separately; provided, however, that the confidential information shall not include any information that falls under any of the following items:

(１)Information that is known to the public at the time of the disclosure;
(２)Information that is already possessed by the Participant at the time of the disclosure (only in the case where such Participant may demonstrate such fact by reasonable means);
(３)Information that becomes known to the public without the fault of the Participant after the disclosure;
(４)Information that is independently developed by the Participant without reference to any information as disclosed (except for those Submissions of the person eligible for a prize which are evaluated); or
(５)Information that is rightfully disclosed by any third party having a right to do so without the obligations of confidentiality (only in the case where such Participant may demonstrate such fact by reasonable means).

２.Any Winner shall handle his/her Final Submissions and Submissions for Final Judgment in the same manner as prescribed in paragraph 1 hereof.
３.Any Participant may publish any algorithms that they have developed as well as any other materials they have created in connection with their participation in a Competition (including Final Submissions and Submissions for Final Judgment) after that Competition in accordance with the Competition Information Disclosure Policy (hereinafter, "Information Disclosure Policy") posted on the Site. However, Participants shall observe the following matters when publishing information and may not publish any materials prohibited by the Information Disclosure Policy:

(１)Clarify that the materials were created in connection with participation in the Competition;
(２)Give credit in accordance with the notation method prescribed in the Information Disclosure Policy when the materials to be published contain part of a dataset; and
(３)Clarify the location accessible to all Participants (including but not limited to the Competition forum and other locations designated by the Company) where the materials are published (including links, etc.) if publishing materials outside the Competition forum.

４.Any Participant shall delete or return to the Company the Company-Provided Information (excluding the information prescribed in paragraph 3) immediately after the completion of a Competition.
５.If there is any separate arrangement in relation to the confidential information in each Competition, the provisions of such arrangement shall prevail over the provisions of these Terms.
６.If any dispute occurs between the Host or other third party and the Company due to the breach by any Participant of the provisions of this Article and such other party makes any claim against the Company, such Participant shall compensate for any damage, loss, expenses (including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees), lost profits and lost revenues, etc. incurred by the Company.
７.The provisions of this Article shall survive the termination of the relevant Competition or the Participant’s completion of the procedures for withdrawal from the service of the Company, with respect to the Company-Provided Information and the Winner’s Final Submissions and Submissions for Final Judgment for a period of five (5) years thereafter.

Article 5 Prohibited Acts of Participants

１．The Company shall prohibit Participants from engaging in any of the following acts in any Competition:

(１)An act of cracking, cheating, spoofing other misconduct;
(２)An act of redistributing data files included in the dataset;
(３)An act of directly communicating to, consulting with, making a request to, soliciting or responding to solicitation or other activities to other Participants or the Host (other than the Company) without the involvement of the Company;
(４)Any profitmaking activities using the Competition (including solicitation or scouting activities, and use for a third party in educational business, etc.) without the prior approval of the Company in writing or any other manner specified by the Company;
(５)Transfer, offering as collateral or other disposition of the status as a Participant or the rights or obligations as a Participant (except with the prior written consent of the Company); and
(６)Acts that infringe upon the intellectual property rights or any other rights of third parties; and
(７)Any other act in breach of the Terms of Use.

２.If the Company deems that a Participant engages in any of the prohibited acts as prescribed in the preceding paragraph, the Company may, without prior notice to the Participant, disqualify the Participant from the Competition in which the Participant participates, temporarily suspend the Participant from using the service of the Company, withdraw the Participant’s membership, claim damages from the Participant or take any other measures deemed necessary by the Company.

Article 6 Modification of Terms

１.The Company may modify, add or delete any provisions of these Terms from time to time without the approval of the members.

April 14, 2021