After the adoption of ISAD(G), General International Standard Archival Description, it was reviewed immediately in Japan. There are many experiments on the application of ISAD(G) to the Japanese archival description (or archival finding aids), whereas there is no application experiment of XML for the Japanese archival descriptions which applied ISAD(G) except for my experiment. However, in my experiment, I did not use EAD, Encoded Archival Description (SGML subset) which was a de-facto international rule for the electronic archival description, because I thought that EAD was complex and difficult, and it had the problem on practical use in Japanese archives.
　This time, I examined some examples of practicing encoding archival finding aids. As the result of examination, it clarified the possibility of solution of the problem on practical use, though some unsettled problems remain. This article shows an idea and a procedure of the creation of EAD-encoded archival descriptions (or finding aids). I would like to point out that EAD can be used as a means to integrate various archival information in the management process of archives. In conclusion, this article clarifies the position of the use of EAD in the management process of archives. I hope that this article contributes to the spread of encoding archival descriptions (finding aids) in EAD on Japanese archives.

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　We propose an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format for proteomics database to exchange proteome analysis data. The XML-based data is highly machine-readable and easy to represent information hierarchy and relationships. There have been several XML formats of proteome data which mainly represent the sequence information stored in the Protein Identification Resource (PIR) and the Protein Data Base (PDB). Our XML-based data format has a proteome-analysis-oriented structure and describes information of sample preparation, 2D gel electrophoresis images, spot identification information in the gels and the sequence information of the spots. The model is used to exchange both of preparation parameters and the results of 2D gel electrophoresis analysis. It would accelerate collaboration among proteomics researchers if a platform exchanging these data is developed on the internet. By using the XML-based data format for proteomics, we have developed an XML editor and a web-based prototype system which consists of XML database, agent, security and graphical user interface (GUI).

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　A lot of healthcare facilities should be concerned with health-checkups, and healthcare data must be exchanged among information systems of these facilities. However, as healthcare data structure is heterogeneous among facilities, even the electronic data transfer of test results to the requester is not easy. The Joint Working Group of JMHTS (Japan Society of Multiphasic Health Testing and Service) and JAHIS (Japanese Association of Healthcare Information Systems Industry) commenced developing standard healthcare data exchange protocol (HDML: Health Data Markup Language) and tools for effective data utilization among healthcare facilities. HDML is SGML/XML-based data description protocol, with considering compatibility with existing standard medical/health information exchange protocols, that specializes in healthcare data exchange. The structure of HDML and the results of the feasibility study with HDML tools are described. HDML can reduce the cost related to data exchange. In addition, HDML is expected to contribute to a preventive medicine such as lifestyle diseases greatly because all data structure is standardized during data exchanging and all healthcare data generated by different medical/health facilities will be easily accumulated and managed as "lifetime healthcare data management system."

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　How is huge scientific information described and serviced? What retrieval functions should be provided? These are old and new problems to be solved. So far various methods have been developed, however each of them includes some defects. The situation is not satisfying for the researcher's needs who wants to investigate information widely not restricted to the particular resource, to get valuable information with less noise, and to reorganize obtained information according to his/her view. A new methodology on new concept is necessary to resolve the situation. We proposed concept of "Computer-Processable Structured Digital Object based on XML (Extensible Markup Language):(CPSDO/XML)" that is composed of elementary units of information, and designed an information retrieval system based on CPSDO/XML for Web resources. We also developed a prototype for Merck Index data, that is a typical fact database, on ASP.NET. The data structure is described with XML schema.

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　"Knowledge-emergent society" aims at that people of a community can work independently towards solution of a local subject. In order to use for activity of such intellectual production, it is a subject as a platform of information and knowledge to promote construction of an electronic document system. However, as for a local government, a bureaucracy principle still exists persistently. A local government prefers to process the work given by several Ministries or the prefecture. Then, the local government cannot develop information policy which connects up issues of the area horizontally with a network. In order to cope with the compound subject of a community, the member of the community, such as residents, NPO, or a company, needs to share knowledge resources, need to aim at practical use of them, and need collaboration. Here is the important view of "e-democracy". In order to realize the view, platform construction of XML-based "document management", which controls the dynamics of information and knowledge, is indispensable.

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　Traditional knowledge(TK) is defined as a cumulative body of knowledge and beliefs of indigenous and local communities and closely linked to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. TK is handed down from generation to generation, and has no identifiable inventor. Intellectuall property rights(IPRs), in contrast, protect new knowledge that is created by individuals and do not recognize collective rights. Therfore, many controversies over the impacts of IPRs on the TK have been raised in various international forums.

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