November 10, 2020 Appeal for Opinions on Draft Revision of the Guidelines for Consumer Protection Rules for the Telecommunications Business Act and the Notice based on Article 22-2-9 No. 2 and No. 3 of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (MIC Notice No. 153 of 2016)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) drafted revisions to the Guidelines for Consumer Protection Rules for the Telecommunications Business Act and the Notice based on Article 22-2-9 No. 2 and No. 3 of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (MIC No. 153 of 2016). Accordingly, MIC will make an appeal for opinions on the drafts from Wednesday, November 11 through December 16, 2020.

1. Overview

The Working Group on Verification of Competition Rules under MIC’s Meeting for Telecommunications Market Validation released issued a document entitled “2020 Report on Verification of Competition Rules” on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. With consideration of the report, a revision to the Guidelines for Implementing Mobile Number Portability for Mobile Phones and PHS (May 2020) aims to improve the usage environment of mobile number portability (MNP). In response to the content of the revision, MIC will partially revise the Guidelines for Consumer Protection Rules for the Telecommunications Business Act (March 2020) and the Notice based on Article 22-2-9 No. 2 and No. 3 of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (MIC No. 153 of 2016).
The operation of the guidelines and the enforcement of the notice will start on April 1, 2021.

2. Procedure of appeal for opinions

1. Subject

• Draft Revision of the Guidelines for Consumer Protection Rules for the Telecommunications Business Act
• Draft Revision of the Notice based on Article 22-2-9 No. 2 and No. 3 of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (MIC Notice No. 153 of 2016)

2. Submission

Submission period
From Wednesday, November 11, and no later than Wednesday, December 16, 2020
The draft revisions and the procedure for the appeal for opinions will be posted on the public comment page of the e-Gov ( https://www.e-gov.go.jp/en/ ).

3. Future plans

With consideration of the results of the appeal for opinions, MIC will revise the Guidelines for Consumer Protection Rules for the Telecommunications Business Act and the Notice based on Article 22-2-9 No. 2 and No. 3 of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (MIC No. 153 of 2016).