October 12, 2020 Results of Appeal for Draft Ministerial Ordinance, Notices, and Directive for Partial Revisions to Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and Pertinent Notices, etc. and Report from the Radio Regulatory Council

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) made an appeal for opinions from Tuesday, September 1 through Wednesday, September 30, 2020, on a ministerial ordinance, notices, and directive drafted for partial revisions to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and the Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment for upgrading digital cordless telephone radio stations.
As a result, four opinions were submitted. Accordingly, MIC has decided to open the submitted opinions to the public, along with MIC’s views on the opinions.
Considering the results of the appeal for opinions, MIC submitted an inquiry about the drafts to the Radio Regulatory Council (Chaired by YOSHIDA Susumu, Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University). In response to the inquiry, MIC has today received a report stating its approval as drafted.
Considering the results of the appeal for opinions and the report from the Radio Regulatory Council, MIC will promptly make institutional development for the establishment of the relevant ministerial ordinance, etc.

1. Overview

In 2017, Time Division duplex Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) systems (5 MHz or 1.4 MHz systems) were institutionalized for radio stations for 1.9-GHz band license-free digital cordless telephones. Since then, efforts have been accelerated toward the start of commercial services, including trials using actual devices for the 5-MHz system that can use widespread mobile phone terminals as extension units.

On the other hand, there is only one carrier frequency available to the 5 MHz system. Therefore, there is a concern that the carrier may detect the control carrier of a private PHS system, and the main unit may stop operating in a place close to the private PHS system.

Therefore, the Land Radiocommunication Subcommittee (Chief Investigator: Makoto Ando, professor emeritus at the Tokyo Institute of Technology) of the Department on Information and Communications Technology under the Information and Communications Council studied technical conditions for the further practical use of the 1.9-GHz band in TD-LTE mode, and MIC received a partial report of the Subcommittee through the Information and Communications Council (chaired by UCHIYAMADA Takeshi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation) on May 29, 2020.

With consideration of the contents of the report, MIC made the appeal for opinions from on a ministerial ordinance, notices, and directive drafted for partial revisions the ministerial ordinance, notices, and directive drafted for partial revisions to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and the Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment (based on Telecommunications Technology Commission Inquiry No. 18 of 1950) for the frequency expansion in the 1.9-GHz band in TD-LTE mode.

2. Report from Radio Regulatory Council

With consideration of the results of the opinions received, MIC made the inquiry about items related to the Radio Act (Act No. 131 of 1950) as a part of the ministerial ordinance that partially revises the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and has today received the report stating its approval as drafted.

3. Future plans

Considering the report from the Radio Regulatory Council and the results of the appeal for opinions, MIC will proceed promptly with the necessary procedures for the revision of the relevant ministerial ordinance, notices, directive.