March 8, 2021 Appeal for Opinions on Draft Ministerial Ordinance, Notices, and Directive for Partial Revisions to Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act

Introduction of Technical Requirements for Ku-band Non-geostationary Satellite Communications System by Satellite Constellation Using 500 km Altitude Orbit

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) will make an appeal for opinions on a draft ministerial ordinance etc., from Tuesday, March 9 through Wednesday, April 7, 2021. These drafts are for partial revisions to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act etc., for institutional development to introduce the technical requirements for a Ku-band non-geostationary satellite communications system by a satellite constellation using a 500-km altitude orbit.

1. Overview

The practical application of small artificial satellites has become relatively easy. As a result, a satellite constellation is possible, which links and operates many small satellites launched in medium and low orbits with minimum communication latency. Therefore, it has become possible to provide various services, such as high-speed, large-capacity communications services.
In response to this, a new communication service using the Ku-band non-geostationary satellite communication system with a satellite constellation using an orbit at an altitude of about 500 km is scheduled to start. To conduct a feasibility study to introduce this service in Japan, the Satellite Communications System Subcommittee (Chief Investigator: ANDO Makoto, Professor emeritus of Tokyo Institute of Technology) of the Department on Information and Communications Technology under the Information and Communications Council has been studying the technical conditions of the system since June 2017. As a result of its study, MIC received a partial report from the Department on Information and Communications Technology (chaired by NISHIO Shojiro, President of Osaka University) under the Information and Communications Council on December 15, 2020.
In response to the report, MIC drafted the ministerial ordinance etc. to revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act etc., for the institutional development to introduce the system.

2. Subject of appeal for opinions

  • 1.
    Draft Ministerial Ordinance for the partial revision of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act
  • 2.
    Draft Notice for the partial revision of the Frequency Assignment Plan (MIC Notice No. 471 of 2012)
  • 3.
    Draft Notice for the partial revision of MIC Notice No. 344 of 2005 (the case where the radio equipment of foreign radio stations conforms to the technical standards equivalent to those set forth in Chapter 3 of the Radio Act)
  • 4.
    Draft Notice for the partial revision of MIC Notice No. 859 of 2006 (Matters that determine codes (excluding the purpose codes and the communications item codes of radio stations) used in the description of each field of the radio station information sheet attached to each radio station license application)
  • 5.
    Draft Notice for the partial revision of MIC Notice No. 102 of 2006 (the case where the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications shall separately specify under the proviso of Article 262-2 of the Regulations for Operating Radio Stations
  • 6.
    Draft Notice for matters to determine the allowable value of the intensity of unnecessary emissions from radio facilities and other conditions as stipulated in Article 24, Paragraph 33, and Appendix No. 3-68 of the Regulations for Operating Radio Stations.
  • 7.
    Draft Official Directive for the partial revision of the Examination Standards related to the Radio Act

3. Procedure for appeal for opinions

The published material is in Japanese only.

4. Period of appeal for opinions

From Tuesday, September 9 and no later than Wednesday, April 7, 2021
(Opinions, if submitted by postal mail, will be accepted if postmarked the same day.)

5. Future plans

Considering the result of the appeal for opinions and the report from the Radio Regulatory Council in response to MIC’s inquiry, MIC will revise the relevant ministerial ordinance etc.

Contact

For further information about this press release, please fill in the inquiry form and submit it to MIC on the website
https://www.soumu.go.jp/common/english_opinions.html

International Policy Division, Global Strategy Bureau, MIC

TEL: +81 3 5253 5920

FAX: +81 3 5253 5924