Research and development of advanced database systems for integration of media and user environments

With rapid growth of recent development of computer and network technologies, the amount of data produced, transmitted and stored is growing enormously. The variety of data to be processed is widely spreading all over the world. We are facing the third communication revolution after the invention of printing technology and mass-communication. Databases are key technology for the coming network-age. To promote such research areas, Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture had decided to sponsor the Scientific Research on Priority Areas entitled "Research and Development of Advanced Database Systems for Integration of Media and User Environments" (Research Project on Advanced Databases, in short.).