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June
26, 2003, Vol. 14, No. 5
ISSN 1346-5317
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The Radiocommunication
Assembly (RA-03) Successfully Concluded
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The Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-03) of the
ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) was convened with attendance
of about 400 people from 85 countries and 10 regional organizations,
from June 2 through 6, 2003, in Geneva, Switzerland.
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From Japan, 29 people, including Mr.
ISHIHARA, Director-General for Technology Policy Coordination, MPHPT
(seven officials from MPHPT, 22 people from the private sector), attended
RA-03.
Major outcomes and agenda items are as follows:
1. Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chairs of
RA
Mr. ITO Yasuhiko (KDDI Corp.) of Japan was appointed as the Chair
of RA.
Mr. N. Kisrawi (Syria), Ms. M. Konner (Denmark), Mr. I. Samake (Mali)
and Mr. R. Mayher (the U.S.) were appointed as Vice Chairs.
2. Approval
of draft Recommendations submitted from Study Groups (SGs)
Draft Recommendations submitted from SGs were deliberated upon, and
37 Recommendations (25 new ones, and 12 revised ones) concerning visions
of the fourth-generation (4G: systems beyond IMT-2000) mobile communications
systems were approved.
3. Approval
of the work programme for the next study period
The work programme was approved for the next study period containing
some 361 questions, such as studies in the fields of 4G systems, 5GHz
band Radio LAN/wireless access, Ultra-Wideband systems (UWB).
4. Appointment
of SG Chairs and Vice-Chairs in the next study period
Four candidates from Japan were appointed as follows:
Study Group 4 (Fixed-Satellite service): Mr. ABE Muneo (KDDI Corp.)
Study Group 6 (Broadcasting services): Mr. KUMADA Junji (NHK)
Study Group 8 (Mobile, radiodetermination, amateur and related satellite
services): Mr. MIZUIKE Takeshi (KDDI Corp.)
Study Group 9 (Fixed service): Mr. HASHIMOTO Akira (NTT DoCoMo, Inc.)
5. Revisions
to the working methods
i) Procedure for simultaneous adoption and approval
At present, in order to approve recommendations, it is required to
take two-step procedures, namely, adoption and approval. For shortening
the two-step procedures to a one-step procedure, a "procedure
for simultaneous adoption and approval (PSAA)" was introduced.
By choosing either PSAA or the existing procedures according to the
situation, the time required between the drafting of recommendations
to approval of recommendations would be shortened from the shortest
period currently of seven months to three months.
ii) Reduction in finance
Amidst severe financial situation of ITU, reduction of costs by each
organization became an urgent task. Since ITU-R is not an exception
from these efforts, deliberations were made upon reduction of documents
for meetings, shortening of meeting periods, etc.
6. Schedule
of the next RA
The next RA will be convened in 2007, four years after this RA-03.
Communications Industry Forecasts
of Business Conditions Increase
MPHPT released the results (prompt report) of the survey
"overall results of Japan's communications industry (telecommunications
and broadcasting)" for the first and second quarters (Q-I and Q-II)
of FY2003.
The Business Survey Indices (BSIs) in the first quarter (Q-I) and the
second quarter (Q-II) of FY2003 show as follows:
- The telecommunications businesses are trending upwards at"7.5"and
"10.3" for Q-I and Q-II of FY2003, respectively, in reversal
of trends for FY2002.
- Private broadcasters are still trending downwards at "-41.0"
and "-28.2" for Q-I and Q-II of FY2003, respectively. However,
the negative growth has slowed.
Table 1. Business Survey Indices
Notes:
1. Business Survey Index (BSI): the percentage points of companies saying
that the sales conditions are improving compared to the previous quarter,
minus the percentage points of companies saying that the sales conditions
are worsening compared to the previous quarter.
2. Basically, BSI is estimated at the end of every previous quarter.
However, exceptionally, indices for Q-I and Q-II in FY2003 are estimated
at the end of Q-IV in FY2002.
3. Figures for "all industries" are based on the "Business and Investment
Survey of Incorporated Enterprises" (Cabinet Office).
Fig. 1 Trends in Business Survey
Indices
Survey outline
[Survey on the "overall result of Japan's
communications industry"]
To grasp the business trend of communications industry (telecommunications
and broadcasting), the monthly survey indicated below has been carried
out on sales, etc. since 1995. Fixed figures will be posted in the end
of June 2003 at URL: http://www.soumu.go.jp/johotsusintokei/
[Businesses surveyed]
The number of surveyed businesses for each type of business is calculated
proportionally with the type's share in revenues for FY2001. To be statistically
significant, the sampling number, as calculated from the number of parent
populations of communications industry, is set at 133. The businesses
surveyed are sampled in descending order from the one with the largest
sales down to the 133rd one.
[Survey method]
Conducted by questionnaire (mailing survey cards, entered by businesses
via fax or the Internet)
[Survey items]
Sales (every month) and business forecast (conducted only in June, September,
December and March and reported in the following month, respectively),
etc.
[Companies Surveyed]
APT Workshop on ICT
Policies for Development in Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar
APT (Asia-Pacific Telecommunity) organized
a series of "ICT Workshop on ICT Policies for Development"
in Hanoi (Vietnam) on June 9, 2003, in Vientiane (Laos) on June 11
and in Yangon (Myanmar) on June 13 as a part of its human resource
development programs. The workshops were funded by the extra budgetary
contribution to APT from the Government of Japan (EBC-J) aimed at
human resource development in the Asia-Pacific region. MPHPT and its
counterpart Ministry in the respective countries co-hosted the events
and concluded them successfully.
The objectives of the workshops are to recognize the benefits of the
broadband technology and to introduce the "Asia Broadband Technology,"
which was adopted on March 28, 2003, as well as Japan's ODA projects
in the telecommunications field, etc.
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| Mr. ASAMI Hiroshi, Director
of International Cooperation Division, Telecommunications Bureau,
MPHPT gave a presentation |
Mr. ASAMI Hiroshi, Director of International
Cooperation Division, Telecommunications Bureau, MPHPT gave a presentation
to introduce and seek understanding of the "Asia Broadband Program."
There were also presentations from the counterpart Ministries and
concerned organizations, etc. in each country, which were quite informative
for us to understand each country's current situation and future vision
in the telecommunications field.
The workshops were quite successful with the devoted audiences of
50 to 70 people from concerned Ministries, telecommunications carriers/equipment
manufacturers, etc. of each country.
In addition to the workshops, Mr. ASAMI, taking this opportunity,
had a bilateral talk in each of the visiting countries: with Mr. Dang
Dinh Lam, Vice Minister, Ministry of Posts and Telematics of Vietnam,
Mr. Khamlouat Sidlakone, Vice Minister, Ministry of Communications,
Transport, Post and Construction of Laos and U Hlaing Win, Deputy
Minister, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief & Resettlement of
Myanmar (Deputy Chairman of e-National Taskforce). In the bilateral
talks they exchanged views and opinions on ICT policies in both of
the countries with a special focus on the promotion of broadband technology.
MPHPT will further suggest that APT organize similar workshops in
different areas of the Asia-Pacific region.
List of presentations
[JAPAN]
- "Asia Broadband Program" by Mr. ASAMI Hiroshi, Director,
International Cooperation Division, MPHPT of Japan
- "ICT Policies in Japan for Broadband Development" by Ms.
KUBO Ayumi, Assistant Director, International Cooperation Division,
MPHPT
- "Introduction of Japan's ODA in ICT field" by Mr. WATANABE
Eiichi, Assistant Director, International Cooperation Division, MPHPT
- "Telecommunications Policy Matters For Higher Teledensity and
Enhancement of the Industry Efficiency" by Mr. MATSUYAMA Yasuhiko,
Executive Director, Info-Communication Research Department, Research
Institute of Telecommunications and Economics (RITE)
- "Introduction of ODA projects" by Mr. SUGII Ken-ichi,
Director, Telecommunications System Engineering, Japan Telecommunications
Engineering and Consulting Service (JTEC)
- "Impact of Broadband Internet on the Global Business and Nations"
by Mr. SHIMURA Koichi, General Director, NTT Communications (Singapore)
- "Broadband Wireless Solution for Rural Communication"
by Mr. KOIKE Osamu, General Manager, International Cooperation Department,
KDDI CORPORATION
- "Wireline and Wireless access system with Next Generation IP
Network" by Mr. OZU Yasushi, Manager, Asia and Pacific Team,
Global Marketing & Sales Development, Communication Systems Group,
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
[VIETNAM]
- "ICT Development Policy in Viet Nam" by Mr. Tran Quang
CUONG, Senior Telecoms Officer, Department of Telecoms, Ministry of
Posts and Telematics, Viet Nam
[LAOS]
- "Information and Communication Technology Policy and Regulatory
Processes of Lao P.D.R." by Mr. Snith XAPHAKDY, Director, Telecommunications
Division, Department of Posts and Telecommunications, Ministry of
Communication, Transport, Post and Construction, Laos
- "ICT Services of ETL" by Mr. Khammouane Xomsihaphanya,
Deputy Director General, Enterprise of Telecommunications Laos (ETL)
[MYANMAR]
- "ICT Policies in Myanmar" by U Pyone Maung Maung, Joint
Secretariat, e-National Task force, Myanmar
- "Cooperation Opportunities in ICT with Japan" by U Thein
Oo, President, Myanmar Computer Federation, Myanmar
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International
Policy Division,
International Affairs Department,
Telecommunications Bureau,
Ministry of Public Management, Home
Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications
1-2, Kasumigaseki 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 100-8926, Japan
Fax: +81-3-5253-5924
Tel: +81-3-5253-5920
e-mail: feedback-newsletter@soumu.go.jp
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