March 11, 2020 Report from the Radio Regulatory Council concerning Draft Ministerial Ordinances for Partial Revision of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and Results of Appeal for Opinions－Simplification of Licensing Procedures for Amateur Stations, Expansion of Access to Unqualified Persons, and Additional Allocation of Frequencies

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has today submitted an inquiry to the Radio Regulatory Council (Chaired by Susumu Yoshida, Specially Appointed Professor, Kyoto University) about a draft Ministerial Ordinance for a partial revision of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act. This partial revision aims at institutional development related to amateur radio, and MIC has received a report by return stating its approval as drafted.
In this connection, MIC made an appeal for opinions on the draft from Saturday, January 18 through Monday, February 17, 2020. The MIC received 221 opinions as a result. Accordingly, MIC has decided to open the submitted opinions to the public, along with MIC’s views on the opinions.

1. Overview

1. Simplification of licensing procedures for amateur radio stations

To simplify the licensing procedure related to the operation of amateur radio transmitting equipment with an attached device connected to the external input, necessary ministerial ordinances, and related notices will be revised based on the results of the appeal for opinions.

2. Expansion of the opportunities of unqualified persons’ use of amateur radio stations

With consideration of the result of the appeal for opinions and a 2019 meeting to follow up a growth strategy roundtable meeting on the effective use of radio waves, the planned institutional development will include the establishment of a notice. This notice will expand the range of IoT human resources so that people without amateur radio qualifications and restrictions, such as age limits, can temporarily experience amateur radio under qualified people.

3. Additional allocation of frequencies

The band plan will be reviewed for some frequency bands of amateur stations according to the Frequency Reorganization Action Plan (the 2019 revision). This notice will change a part of the frequency allocation plan and revise related regulations with consideration of the frequency usage status and conditions of existing radio stations and to allocate additional frequencies by taking the international harmonization of amateur stations into account.

2. Future plans

With consideration of the report from the Radio Regulatory Council and the result of the appeal for opinions, MIC will promptly revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and relevant notice.

3. Method for obtaining references

MIC will post references on the press release mage of MIC’s official website (https://www.soumu.go.jp) after the completion of the press conference of the Chair of the Radio Regulatory Council today (Wednesday, March 11). MIC will also make them available for viewing and obtaining copies at the MIC’s Fixed and Satellite Radio Communications Division, Telecommunications Bureau (Central Gov’t Building No. 2 10F).