January 14, 2020 Result of Appeal for Opinions on Draft of Official Directive for Partial Revision of Examination Standards related to the Radio Act

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) drafted an official directive for the partial revision of the examination standards related to the Radio Act (as per Official Directive of MIC No. 67 of January 6, 2001) regarding interference protection values between administrative radio systems for municipal digital broadcasting the fixed stations to relay broadcast program using the 60 MHz band. MIC made an appeal for opinions from Friday, November 1 through Monday, December 2, 2019, for the draft and received one opinion. Accordingly, MIC has decided to open the opinion to the public, along with MIC’s view on the opinion.

1. Outline of the revision

1. Setting standards of interference protection between administrative radio systems for municipal digital broadcasting and fixed stations to relay broadcast programs using the 60 MHz band:

The Survey Review Report on Effective Frequency Utilization Technology for Promoting the Use of VHF Band Broadcast Program Relay Lines, which was compiled in March 2018, specified interference protection standards between administrative radio systems for municipal digital broadcasting and fixed stations to relay broadcast programs using the 60 MHz band.
With consideration of the specified standards, MIC has decided to clarify the examination standards related to the Radio Act for interference protection between systems, which has not been developed, and make a necessary review on the examination standards to facilitate a smooth administrative procedure.

2. Other institutional development

Regarding fixed stations that use VHF (the 60 MHz and 160 MHz bands) to relay broadcast programs in digital modulation, to specify the frequency efficiently following the revision as mentioned above in (1), MIC will review the examination standards related to the Radio Act on frequency selection criteria.

2. Result of appeal for opinions

MIC’s official directive (MIC Directive No. 1 of January 14, 2020) has been established with consideration of the opinion, for the partial revision of the Examination Standards related to the Radio Act.