July 20, 2020 Result of Appeal for Opinions on Draft Ministerial Ordinance and Pertinent Conditions for Partial Revisions to Regulations for Procedures for Obtaining a Radio Station License and Report from Radio Regulatory Council

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) drafted a ministerial ordinance and pertinent conditions for partial revisions to the Regulations for Procedures for Obtaining a Radio Station License. These revisions will achieve the wide-area coverage of the fifth-generation mobile communications system (5G) and accelerate the utilization of 5G in various industries. Accordingly, MIC made an appeal for opinions on the drafted revisions from Tuesday, June 2 through Wednesday, July 1, 2020. As a result, 24 opinions were submitted. Therefore, MIC has decided to open the opinions to the public, along with MIC’s view on the opinions.
With consideration of the results of the appeal for opinions, MIC submitted an inquiry to the Radio Regulatory Council (Chaired by Susumu Yoshida, Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University) about matters related to the drafted ministerial ordinance, etc. based on the Radio Act (Act No. 131 of 1950). Then, MIC received a report today stating its approval as drafted.
With consideration of the result of opinions received and a report from the Radio Regulatory Council, MIC will promptly make institutional development for the relevant regulations.

1．Background

The fourth-generation mobile communications system (4G) and broadband wireless access systems (BWA) use frequencies lower than those assigned in April 2019 to 5G, and there has been an increasing need to use these frequencies for 5G and BWA compatible with 5G to build broad 5G areas for securing mobility.
With consideration of the need, the New-generation Mobile Communications System Subcommittee of the Department on Information and Communications Technology under the Information and Communications Council studied technical requirements from December 2018 through March 2020 for the 5th generation mobile communications system (5G) and advanced BWA as part of technical requirements. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) received a partial report on the subject on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, from the Information and Communications Council. Accordingly, MIC is currently in the process of institutional development for formulating technical standards based on the report.
It will be possible to introduce 5G to the 4G frequency band with the development of the technical standards. MIC Notice No. 513 of 2011 (Matters that stipulate guidelines for opening specific base stations for the spread of the 3.9th generation mobile communications system) and Notice No. 34 of 2018 (Matters that stipulate guidelines for opening specific base stations for the spread of the fourth-generation mobile communications system) currently apply to the authorization of opening plans. However, neither one of the notices assumes the opening of 5G base stations. Therefore, MIC has decided to make significant institutional development for opening plan changes to introduce 5G to the frequency band currently used for 4G.

2．Report from Radio Regulatory Council

With consideration of the report from the Radio Regulatory Council and the result of the appeal for opinions, MIC will promptly revise the ministerial ordinance, etc.