Born in Tokyo in 1955. He was granted Master of Science in the Department of Technology and Mathmatics, Keio University, in 1984. After working at the Information Processing Center at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and the Super Computer Center at the University of Tokyo, he became an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Information at Keio University.
A magazine describes Murai as the "most wired scholar in the world." In 1984, Murai launched a computer network called Junet (Japan Unix Network) with his friends, although at that time nongovernmental use of the telephone network was strictly prohibited. Since then, Murai has endeavored to create an infrastructure for the Internet as a new intelligence paradigm for human beings.

In all his major projects, including Junet, WIDE (Widely Integrated Distributed Environment), he has always been fighting against governmental leadership in telecommunications. He sometimes uses guerilla tactics and has supported today's Internet environment. In Japan, we could use only English programs, yet he developed new cultural interfaces through Unix programs that work with the Japanese language. He believes that digital technology, including computers and network systems, are supposed to assist human activities, but by no means should humans be led by it.

In his recent book "The Internet," published by Iwanami Shinsho, Murai comments as follows: "Even with technological breakthroughs, humans should decide which direction technology ought to go in. We should not rely only on technology. It can be said that technology is similar to vehicles that humans can ride in, but techonology does not show us where to go. Communications technology, in particular, is like that.

Only after we get in the vehicle can we know how we feel and how far we can go. In this sense, the key issue in creating a new information infrastructure is not only to develop a fast, high-quality multimedia network but also to provide an environment that anybody can use anywhere. The Internet takes the role of the latter, and some parts have actually been realized in current society.

Murai has various titles; he is not only an associate professor in the Faculty of Environmental Information at Keio University, but is also a member of the Internet Architecture Board and the Internet Engineering Planning Group, a representative of the WIDE project (http://www.wide.ad.jp), an organization for advanced network technology, chief of the Japan Network Information Center and vice chairman of the Japan Internet Society. He also plays the guitar like a professional and has a computer called Clapton. Chief of Japan Network Information Center
Japan Internet Society
IAB (Internet Architecture Board)
IEPG (Internet Engineering Planning Group)