Open Call for Comments on Cryptographic Techniques Evaluation - CRYPTREC2001 (Provisional Translation)

The Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA) and Telecommunications Advancement Organization of Japan (TAO) are now promoting a joint project to evaluate cryptographic techniques.

This cryptographic techniques evaluation was started by IPA in FY2000 and is proceeding this year as a joint effort of IPA and TAO, with the aim of creating a list of cryptographic techniques applicable to the Japanese e-Government system. The basic system is to be constructed by FY2003. In order to conduct this cryptographic techniques evaluation, the CRYPTREC committee has been organized by leading cryptography experts in Japan.

Cryptographic techniques that are essential for the e-Government and categorized as follows: (1) asymmetric key techniques, (2) symmetric key techniques, (3) hash functions, (4) pseudo-random number generators. The object of evaluation includes cryptographic techniques submitted in response to the open call for submissions, as well as other cryptographic techniques that the CRYPTREC committee determine need to be evaluated.

For detailed information on topics such as the FY2001 cryptographic techniques evaluation work and a list of submitted cryptographic techniques, please see the following URLs at the TAO and IPA home pages.

http://www.ipa.go.jp/security/enc/CRYPTREC/index-e.html
http://www.shiba.tao.go.jp/kenkyu/CRYPTREC/index-e.html

The cryptographic techniques targeted for evaluation will be updated in the future. Note that we still have copies of the technical reports distributed at the cryptographic techniques submission briefing (document relating to technical specifications for FY 2001 submitted cryptographic techniques). If you would like a copy, please contact us.

We would like to receive a wide range of comments from everyone on the evaluation of this year's cryptographic techniques. We welcome any comments you may have on cryptography evaluations, including topics such as security and installability of the evaluated cryptographic techniques, as well as cryptography evaluation methods and intellectual property rights information. (Please refrain from making comments on topics not related to cryptographic techniques evaluation or comments that may conflict with Export Administration Act and the like.)

As a general rule, received comments will be made public (including your company or organization, your name, and your comments) on the TAO and IPA home pages in the CRYPTREC sections, so please write the following items: (1) the name of the cryptographic technique you are commenting on, (2) your company or organization, (3) your name, (4) contact information. We would appreciate it if you could provide your comments in English (Japanese comments are also acceptable).

We may refer to comments during cryptographic techniques evaluations (including cryptographic techniques evaluation workshops, and CRYPTREC Report 2001, which is scheduled for release at the end of the current fiscal year). Comments considered inappropriate for evaluation by the committee, such as those not consistent with the intent of this comment request, will not be made public.

Publication of Comments in Evaluation

Comments received by December 15, 2001 will be included in the cryptographic techniques evaluation workshop to the extent possible.

Comments received by January 31, 2002 will be included in CRYPTREC Report 2001 to the extent possible.

The deadline for responses to this comment request is provisionally set as the end of March, 2002.