July 15, 2020 Appeal for Opinions on Draft Ministerial Ordinance, Notices, and Official Directive for Partial Revision of Ministerial Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment and Related Conditions

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications will make an appeal for opinions from Thursday, July 16 through Friday, August 14, 2020, on a draft ministerial ordinance, notices, and an official directive for the partial revision of the Ministerial Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment and related conditions. These revisions are for the introduction of an advanced non-geostationary satellite system using the L-band.

1. Overview

A technical study has been conducted since 1995 on the existing mobile satellite communication system in the L-band by satellite constellation using non-geostationary satellites. The Telecommunications Technology Council made a partial report of April 24, 1997, on technical requirements for systems that use time division multiple access (TDMA) and frequency division multiple access (FDMA) for service links in the 1,600 MHz band. TDMA- and FDMA-based services have been provided in Japan. Recently, existing satellite operators started planning to upgrade the current satellites, from which a higher communications speed is expected, and the advanced satellites will be used for aircraft safety communications. The early introduction of the satellites in Japan is expected. The Satellite Communications System Subcommittee (Chief Investigator: Makoto Ando, Professor emeritus of Tokyo Institute of Technology), Department on Information and Communications Technology, Information and Communications Council, has been studying the upgrading of the system since May 2017. As a result of the study, MIC received a partial report on February 13, 2019, from the Information and Communications Council (Chaired by Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation).
In response to the report, MIC drafted a ministerial ordinance, notices, and an official directive for the partial revision of the Ministerial Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment and related conditions. These revisions are for the introduction of an advanced system for an increase in communications speed.

2. Subject of appeal for opinions

• 1.
  Draft Ministerial Ordinance for the Partial Revision of Ministerial Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment and Related Conditions
• 2.
  Draft notice for the partial revision of MIC Notice No. 88 of 2004 (subject establishing test procedures for characteristic tests based on Appendix Table 1-1-(3) of the Ordinance Concerning Technical Regulations Conformity Certification of Specified Radio Equipment)
• 3.
  Draft notice for the partial revision of MIC Notice No. 1228 of 2005 (To determine the allowable value for the intensity of spurious emission or unnecessary emission of the transmission equipment of radio stations for outer space radio communications (excluding the Inmarsat ship earth stations, Inmarsat portable mobile earth stations, and aircraft earth stations limited to those using frequencies higher than 1,626.2 MHz and not above 1,660.5 MHz)
• 4.
  Draft notice that specifies technical requirements based on Article 24, Paragraph 9 and Article 49-23 No. 2 (iii) of the Ministerial Ordinance Regulating Radio Equipment for the radio equipment of mobile earth stations for mobile satellite communications via artificial non-geostationary satellites to transmit radio waves at a frequency range of 1,618.25 to 1,626.5 MHz)
• 5.
  Official Directive for the Partial Revision of Examination Standards related to the Radio Act

3．Submission period

From Thursday, July 16, and no later than Friday, August 14, 2020 (Opinions by mail reaching after the deadline date will be accepted if postmarked on or before the deadline date.)

4. Future plans

With consideration of the result of opinions received and a report from the Radio Regulatory Council, MIC will revise the relevant ministerial ordinance, etc.

5. Method for obtaining references

Reference information will be posted on the public comment page of the e-Gov (https://www.e-gov.go.jp/en/ ).