Japan is on its way towards recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. We have encountered many difficulties that we could not overcome based on our past experience. In response to the business challenges brought about the earthquake, a movement to make the Japanese supply chains more resilient and efficient has started. To promote these objectives, the Collaborative Council of Manufacturers, Wholesalers, and Retailers was formally established in May 2011 upon the proposal of executive management in major companies. GS1 Japan will make further efforts to disseminate the GS1 System to enable the improvement of business efficiency in the nation's supply chains.
In this fiscal year, GS1 Japan will focus on : 1) EPC/RFID, 2) GS1 DataBar and GS1 QR code, 3) The Ryutsu BMS, and 4) Healthcare industry.
The use of EPC/RFID has been steadily increasing in Japan and contributed to efficient item level inventory management in the apparel industry and improved management of logistics equipment such as cage trolleys and pallets. EPCIS has also attracted attention in the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) economies and collaborative projects have achieved results that proved efficiency of EPCIS in the international logistics industry. In this fiscal year, we will also work with government agencies in the APEC region and promote the adoption of EPCglobal standards in various industries.
With the advancement of the information society, consumer interest in safety and security is growing. In response, we have started using the GS1 DataBar which can encode a large amount of merchandise control information such as the expiry date in a small space, and we are actively working on the dissemination and expansion of its use. At the same time, there is a rapid increase in consumers who read QR codes to access various information with their mobile phones. GS1 Japan will actively promote research on and dissemination of the new GS1 standard QR code.
The number of companies adopting the Ryutsu BMS, Japan's domestic EDI standard, is steadily increasing and its roll out is fully underway. GLNs, which are used to identify companies and places of business, will get a boost to full scale utilization together with the dissemination of the Ryutsu BMS.
Established in 2009, GS1 Healthcare Japan has closely worked with industry groups and government agencies, to promote the use of GS1 System in the healthcare industry. We will also work on patient safety improvements, efficient logistics, and establishment of traceability among manufacturers, wholesalers, and healthcare service providers with the introduction of the GS1 System.
GS1 Japan will continue to make further efforts to disseminate the GS1 Standards. At the same time, we will focus on reflecting Japan's domestic needs in the international standards, bearing in mind that the needs of the supply chains and consumers in Japan could also be relevant to other countries.
In closing, I hope for the further development of GS1 Japan's user companies, GS1 Member Organizations, and GS1 Global Office. I look forward to the GS1 Standards further enhancing consumer satisfaction.