November 19, 2021 Appeal for Opinions on Drafts of Revised Regulations, including Draft Ministerial Ordinance to Partially Revise Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) prepared three drafts ofrevised regulations. These drafts are a draft ministerial ordinance to partially revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (Ministerial Ordinance of MPT No. 25 of 1985), a draft to revise the Guidelines for Consumer Protection Rules for the Telecommunications Business Act, and a draft notice on telecommunications facilities that cannot be diverted to other uses, pursuant to Article 22-2-13-2, item 2 iii and vi of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act.
Accordingly, MIC will make an appeal for opinions on these drafts from Saturday, November 20, 2021 through Friday, January 7, 2022.

1. Outline of revision

Based on the discussions in a Study Group on Consumer Protection Rules (Chief investigator: NIIMI Ikufumi, professor emeritus, Meiji University), these drafts aim to partially revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act and the Guidelines for Consumer Protection Rules for the Telecommunications Business Act and establish a new notice.

2. Procedure of appeal for opinions

1. Subjects

• Draft Ministerial Ordinance to Partially Revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (Ministerial Ordinance of MPT No. 25 of 1985) (Subject to consultation)
• Draft to Revise the Guidelines for Consumer Protection Rules for the Telecommunications Business Act (Not subject to consultation)
• Draft Notice on Telecommunications Facilities that Cannot Be Diverted to Other Uses, pursuant to Article 22-2-13-2, item 2 iii and vi of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (Not subject to consultation)

2. Period of submission

From Saturday, November 20, 2021, and no later than Friday, January 7, 2022
(Submission of opinions by postal mail must also arrive no later than the deadline date.)

3. Future plans

The Ministerial Ordinance etc. will be enacted based on the results of the appeal for opinions.
MIC sent an inquiry about the draft ministerial ordinance to partially revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act to the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council (Telecommunications Business Committee) on Friday, November 19, 2021. MIC will inform the Telecommunications Business Committee of the results of the appeal for opinions as a reference for deliberations for issuing a report.