buildingSMART Japan established as Japan Chapter of buildingSMART International. Focused on IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) standardization and interoperability. IFC became international standard ISO 16739 in 2013. buildingSMART Japan operates IFC Qualification program to increase IFC data precision and sharing in practice within Japan. Membership structure: non-profit organization open membership requirements collaborative organization decision making by consensus public disclosure of research findings. Definition of standard specifications through collaboration between software experts and construction industry experts publication of specifications. Japan participated in buildingSMART Summit Tokyo with 469 people from 45 countries working together to create open digital standards for built environment.

buildingSMART Japan

Repository of BIM standards and guidelines 

ISO 19650 is the prominent global standard for the implementation of BIM, focusing on the collaborative process integral to the entire life cycle of constructed assets. Developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), this standard serves as a comprehensive framework for managing information from the conception of a project, through construction and operation to its eventual decommissioning. The development and publication of ISO 19650 highlights the commitment of international standards bodies to creating a consistent and efficient approach to BIM implementation on a global scale.  

ISO 19650 is a multi-part standard. Part 1 delineates fundamental concepts and principles, while Part 2 provides practical guidance for information management throughout the project life cycle. The scalability of ISO 19650 allows organizations to tailor its application to the specific needs and intricacies of their projects. As an internationally recognized standard, ISO 19650 reflects the collaborative efforts of standards bodies to enhance global construction industry practices. Throughout this process, transparency, collaboration, and consensus-building are key principles. ISO standards, including ISO 19650, are developed with input from experts and stakeholders worldwide to ensure that they reflect a global consensus on best practices.  

A country might choose to adopt ISO 19650 for several reasons, all of which contribute to the standard’s potential benefits in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of construction and infrastructure projects. Some of the reasons why a country might decide to adopt ISO 19650:

• Global standardisation of processes
• Support interoperability and collaboration
• Consider a quality assured approach to information management
• Competitive advantage and potential for cross boarder trade
• Improved project delivery outcomes

In summary, the adoption of ISO 19650 by a country can bring about international alignment, improved collaboration, risk reduction, and enhanced competitiveness in the construction industry, ultimately contributing to more successful and sustainable infrastructure development. Countries will usually adopt ISO 19650 by publishing a national annex to the standard.  

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), is a ministry of the Japanese government. It is responsible for one-third of all the laws and orders in Japan, and is the largest Japanese ministry in terms of employees, as well as the second-largest executive agency of the Japanese government after the Ministry of Defence. MLIT has been promoting the adoption of Building/Construction Information Modelling/Management (BIM/CIM) technologies, and has been working with Japanese national and local governments to utilize BIM/CIM in their business operations. As part of this work MLIT have provided the public leadership for BIM in Japan and supported BIM pilot projects within the country. The Vision for the Future and Roadmap to BIM document published by MLIT is the outcome of a roundtable session in 2019. The document looks at the defininition of BIM, as well as the visions and uses for it both now and in the future. The document also contains a roadmap for BIM adoption which includes a more detailed process to action and achieve this. Included in this report are 3 strategies that MLIT propose in order to realise the future values of BIM, these are: – Utilizing market functions, the public and private sectors shall work together under appropriate roles. – Advance efforts that could precede others and then attempt generalization (Improve accuracy by ‘Plan, Do, Check, ActionÂ’ cycle) – In order to strengthen the international competitiveness of the Japanese building industry, proceed as much as possible in accordance with international standards and norms.

An archive version of this information article has been created if the original is no longer accessible (Archive information from January 2024)