June 9, 2021 Results of Appeal for Opinions on Draft Ministerial Ordinance, Relevant Notices, Etc. for Partial Revisions to Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and Report from the Radio Regulatory Council

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) appealed for opinions on a draft ministerial ordinance, relevant notices, etc. from Tuesday, March 9 through Wednesday, April 7, 2021. These drafts were for partial revisions to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and pertinent conditions required for institutional development to introduce the technical requirements for a Ku-band non-geostationary satellite communications system with a satellite constellation using a 500-km altitude orbit. As a result, five opinions were submitted. Accordingly, MIC has decided to open the opinions submitted and MIC’s views on them to the public.
With consideration of the results of the appeal for opinions, MIC submitted an inquiry to the Radio Regulatory Council (Chaired by HIBINO Takashi, Chairman of the Board of Daiwa Securities Group Inc.) 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.
MIC will promptly make institutional development for the relevant ministerial ordinance, based on the result of opinions submitted and the report from the Radio Regulatory Council.

1. Overview

The practical application of small artificial satellites has become relatively easy. As a result, a satellite constellation has also become possible. It links and operates many small satellites launched in medium and low orbits with minimum communication latency, which means 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. For 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 Information and Communications Council (Chaired by UCHIYAMADA Takeshi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation) on December 15, 2020.
MIC drafted the ministerial ordinance etc. to partially revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act, relevant notices, etc. for the institutional development to introduce the system in response to the report. Then MIC made an appeal for opinions on the drafts from Tuesday, March 9 through Wednesday, April 7, 2021.

2. Result of appeal for opinions

The published material is in Japanese only.

3. Report from the Radio Regulatory Council

Considering the result of the opinions received, MIC submitted an inquiry to the Radio Regulatory Council (Chaired by HIBINO Takashi, Chairman of the Board of Daiwa Securities Group Inc.) today on the drafts. Then MIC received a report from the Radio Regulatory Council stating its approval as inquired.

4. 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 make the relevant institutional development.