September 28, 2020 Appeal for Opinions on Approval to Amount of Grants and Support Methods and Approval of Amount of Contributions and Collection Methods based on Universal Service System

The Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council has today received an inquiry from the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications. This inquiry is for approval to the amount and method of grants based on the provision of Article 109, Paragraph 1 of the Telecommunications Business Act (Act No. 86 of 1984, hereafter “Act”) and approval to the amount and collection method of contributions based on the provision of Article 110, Paragraph 2 of said Act. In this connection, MIC will make an appeal for opinions on the approval from Tuesday, September 29 through Thursday, October 29, 2020.

1. Outline of application

On September 17, 2020, the Telecommunications Carriers Association, a basic telecommunications service support organization, made the applications to the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications. One of the applications is for approval to the amount and a providing method of grants to Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation, which are qualified telecommunications carriers pursuant to the provisions of Article 109, Paragraph 1 of the Telecommunications Business Act (Act No. 86 of 1984). The other application is for approval to the amount and a collection method of contributions for each interconnected telecommunications carrier that should pay the contribution based on Article 110, Paragraph 2 of the same Act.

2. Procedure of appeal for opinions

Subject

• Application for approval to the amount and method of grants
• Application for approval to the amount and collection method of contributions

Submission deadline

No later than Thursday, October 29, 2020 (Opinions, if submitted by mail, must arrive no later than the same day.)

3. Future plans

With consideration of opinions submitted, the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council will investigate and deliberate on the approval and report the result to the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications.

4. Method for obtaining references

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