August 2, 2007

Toward the Promotion of Digital Content Distribution

"Internet Policies in the 21st Century"
(Inquiry No. 3 of 2001, the fourth interim report from the Telecommunications Council)
"Optimal Utilization of Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting and Roles of Administration toward Penetration Thereof"
(Inquiry No. 8 of 2004, the fourth interim report from the Telecommunications Council)

Interim Report from the Telecommunications Council

MIC today received an interim report on the promotion of digital content distribution, inquiry No. 3 of 2001 and inquiry No. 8 of 2004, from the Telecommunications Council (Chair: SHOYAMA Etsuhiko, Chairman of the Board, Hitachi, Ltd.), as outlined below.

[Background]
As broadband Internet spreads and advanced Internet uses becomes more common, and as digital broadcast networks are increasingly used and popularized, MIC has been required to take actions for the resolution of issues concerning digital content to be distributed seamlessly via those networks.
Under these circumstances, the Telecommunications Council has conducted discussions at the Digital Content Trading Promotion Committee (Chair: Prof. MURAI Jun, Keio University) set up under the Telecommunications Policy Sub-Council, and today received the interim report thereon.
The recent report, "Toward the Promotion of Digital Content Distribution" (Inquiry No. 3 of 2001 and No. 8 of 2004, the fourth interim report), includes suggestions such as copy control in digital terrestrial broadcasting and specific measures toward the formation of a content trading market.
Along with this report, MIC announces a report on the Study Group on Formation of Content Trading Market, which was convened from November 2006 to June 2007.

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International Policy Division,
International Affairs Department
Telecommunications Bureau, MIC
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