Results of Appeal for Opinions on Draft Ministerial Ordinance for Partial Revision of the Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment and Report from the Radio Regulatory Council

1.Background of revision, etc.

  Aeronautical radio communications have been utilized effectively as an essential means of communication in order to ensure safe operation of aircrafts. Among them, VHF-band aeronautical radio telephones using VHF-band frequencies have been used as an important communication tool linking aircrafts to the ground as well as linking an aircraft to other aircrafts. However, its use has been limited to allocation systems whose frequency interval is “25kHz” in Japan.
  On the other hand, frequencies are becoming scarce as there is an increasing demand for communications via VHF-band aeronautical radio telephones along with the increase in the traffic of aircrafts flying over Japan in recent years.
  For these reasons, it is required to further increase channels by introducing narrowband systems at the 8.33kHz frequency interval provided for in Annex No.10 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation*, etc.
  In view of these circumstances, technical requirements for radio equipment of VHF-band aeronautical radio telephones have been compiled by the Information and Communications Council and related provisions will be improved toward its introduction.
  *The Convention on International Civil Aviation aims at safe and organized development of international civil aviation and sound and economical management of international air transport services. The Annexes of this Convention stipulate the international standards and recommendations for international air transport and Annex No.10 provides for aeronautical communications.
 

2.Results of the appeal for opinions

  No opinion was submitted in response to the appeal for opinions held from June 5 to July 4, 2012.
 

3.Report from the Radio Regulatory Council

  On July 11, 2012, an inquiry was submitted to the Radio Regulatory Council concerning the draft ministerial ordinance for partial revision of the Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment, and a report stating its approval of the original plan was received.
 

4.Future plans

  The MIC will swiftly revise related Ministerial Ordinance, etc. based on the result of the appeal for opinions the report from the Radio Regulatory Council.
 

Related reports and documents

  - Partial Report from the Information and Communications Council concerning “Technical Requirements for Radio Equipment of VHF-band Aeronautical Radio Telephones (Press release of April 25, 2012)
  - Appeal for Opinions on Draft Ministerial Ordinance for Partial Revision of the Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment: VHF-band aeronautical radio telephones with narrower bands (Press release of June 4, 2012)