January 23, 2003,Vol. 14, No. 19-20 ISSN 1346-5317

Since March 2003, MPHPT has been holding the "Roundtable on Info-CommunicationsSoftware" (Chair: Mr. NAGAO Makoto, former president of Kyoto University),an advisory group to the Director-General for Policy Planning (in chargeof info-communications), with the purpose of deliberating upon basic directionsconcerning digital content, ICT security and human capacity building thattarget various current topics and solutions thereof.  The Roundtablehas compiled its findings as a final report.
The outline of the final report is as follows:

Since February 2003, MPHPT has been holding a sub-group on promotionof radio stations requiring no license, under the "Study Group on Policiesfor Effective Radio Spectrum Use" (Chair: Mr. TAGAYA Kazuteru, Vice-Presidentof Chiba University), with the aim of presenting solutions to share costburdens in case of radio spectrum reallocation for small-power radio stations.
The Study Group compiled its findings as the "Third Report of the StudyGroup Report on Policies for Effective Radio Spectrum Use  -- Trendsof Development in Small-Power Radio Stations, and Issues to Be Solved towardRadio Spectrum Reallocation," in line with the deliberations within thesub-group.  In addition to the third report, MPHPT, after due proceduresof inviting public comments on the report, releases those comments andreplies thereto from the Study Group.

<<Issues to be deliberatedupon from now on>>
1. Public awareness campaigns
In principle, radio spectrum users shall shoulder the costs of radiospectrum reallocation for radio stations requiring no license.  However,considering the fact that it is difficult to directly collect the costsfrom individual users, these collection methods directly request thosewho affix the marks and telecommunications carriers to shoulder the costs.
Thus, radio spectrum users shall be sufficiently informed of the intentionof the new system.
2. Ensuring of fairness between Japanese products and foreign products
In principle, with respect to intelligent consumer electronics, thosewho affix the marks shall shoulder the costs according to the number ofthe marks.
On the other hand, mark affixing based on Mutual Recognition Agreementspertaining to the technical regulations conformity certification concludedwith foreign governments shall be implemented under jurisdiction of theforeign governments concerned.  Accordingly, in order to ensure fairnessin cost sharing, it is vital to deliberate upon effective methods to collectthe costs in such cases.
 

Since May 2003, MPHPT has been holding the "Study Group Report ConcerningFacilitation of Procedures for System of Radio Propagation Blockage Prevention"(Chair: Mr. TAGAYA Kazuteru, Vice-President for Education, Chiba University)with the aim of deliberating upon the facilitation of procedures for asystem of radio propagation blockage prevention including a scheme forconsultation between licensees of radio stations handling important radiocommunications and building owners.  The Study Group compiled itsfindings as a report.
MPHPT, after the due procedures for inviting public comments on thereport, releases those comments and replies thereto produced by the StudyGroup.

1. Measures taken to date
i) With respect to important radio communications for use in operationsof telecommunications services, broadcasting services, services for thepurpose of protecting lives or properties or in maintaining public peaceand order, electric power supply activities for the electricity business,etc., the coordination between the ensuring of the important radio communicationsand construction of tall buildings, etc. is being made under the radiopropagation blockage prevention system in accordance with the Radio Law. The radio propagation blockage prevention system includes procedures fordesignation of radio propagation blockage prevented areas, consultationfor preventing hindrances to the important radio communications, and transfer,remodeling, repair or alteration of radio stations.

ii) Considering the foreseeable increase in the number of countermeasuresagainst radio propagation blockage to be caused by increasing tall buildingsand structures, in the "Three-Year Program for Promoting Regulatory Reform(Re-revised)" (Cabinet Decision of March 28, 2003), it is stipulated thatthe government shall, within FY2003, reach a conclusion on the facilitationof procedures for the system of radio propagation blockage prevention.

iii) To this end, since May 2003, this Study Group, consisting of opinionleaders, relevant administrative organizations, licensees, building owners,etc., has been deliberating upon the system.  This Study Group, inthe course of seven meetings held in total, held deliberations in orderto harmonize, through the facilitation of procedures for the system ofradio propagation blockage prevention, the promotion efforts of publicwelfare with the advancement of urban functions.  Thereupon, thisStudy Group compiled the report.

iv) In addition, upon compilation of the report, this Study Group invitedpublic comments on a draft report from November 19 through December 10,2003.

2. Schedule
MPHPT will take necessary measures for implementing the proposals offeredby this report.

<Outline of the radio propagation blockageprevention system>

The number of subscribers to DSL services surpassed the 10 millionmark, reaching 10.27 million, as of the end of December 2003.
The number of DSL subscribers at the end of December 2002 was 5.64million.  The rate of increase during 2003 was 82%.  The increasein the number of DSL subscribers was a result of preparation of an environmentfavorable for users, such as lowered charges, and supported by users' needsfor broadband networks in Japan.
For the time being, DSL services will be widely subscribed as a drivingforce behind the spread of broadband networks for effective use of theInternet.
This information is, in principle, renewed monthly and posted on thewebsite of MPHPT at:
http://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/joho_tsusin/eng/Statistics/dsl/index.html

Information about the Spread of DSL services 
(Prompt report current as of the end of December 2003)

	NTT West areas	NTT East areas
Lines provided by NTT East and NTT West	1,676,592 lines	2,097,531 lines
Lines provided by other carriers	2,893,401 lines	3,604,528 lines
Subtotal	4,569,993 lines	5,702,059 lines
Total	10,272,052 lines

All lines in the above chart are provided via NTT East and NTT Westterminal circuits.

The following personnel changes were announced on January 6, 2004:
¥ Mr. TAKAHARA Kozo, Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination (formerDirector-General of the Information and Communications Policy Bureau)

¥ Mr. TAKECHI Kenji, Director-General of the Information and CommunicationsPolicy Bureau (former Deputy Director-General of the Minister's Secretariat(in charge of the Information and Communications Policy Bureau), and concurrentlyDirector-General, Secretariat of the Telecommunications Business DisputeSettlement Commission)

¥ Mr. SUZUKI Yasuo, Director-General for Policy Planning (in chargeof information and communications) (former Director-General of the TelecommunicationsBusiness Department, Telecommunications Bureau)