July 1, 2021 Appeal for Opinions on Drafted Fifth Report of Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) will make an appeal for opinions from Friday, July 2 through Monday, August 2, 2021, on the fifth report drafted by a Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges (chaired by TSUJI Masatsugu, President and professor at Kobe International University).

1. Background

MIC organized the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges (hereafter referred to as the “Study Group”)* in March 2017. Since then, the Study Group has been deliberating on the current interconnection system, which is the basis for ensuring fair competition, and other matters for providing various services smoothly in a fair competition environment.
The Study Group issued the fourth report in September 2020. After that, the Study Group held ten meetings up to June 2021. While listening to the opinions of related businesses and business organizations as observers, the Study Group’s discussions and verifications continued, focusing on the status of efforts to work on various issues listed in the fourth report. The Study Group examined issues related to network services provided in a standalone (SA) method in the 5G era, based on the final report of a Study Group on Competitive Environment of Mobile Market, in and after the 37th meeting held in October 2020. From the 40th meeting held in January 2021, the Study Group examined the relationship between mobile phone charges and interconnection charges in response to the issues raised by a Working Group (WG) on Verification of Competition Rules.
Recently, the Study Group drafted the fifth report based on the results of its study, and MIC has decided to appeal for opinions on the draft.

• *
  The name was changed from the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges in December 2019.

2. Appeal guidelines for opinions

1. Subject of appeal for opinions

Drafted Fifth Report of Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges (The published material is in Japanese only.)

2. Submission deadline

No later than Monday, August 2, 2021. (Submission of opinions by postal mail must also arrive no later than the deadline date.)

3. Future plans

With consideration of opinions submitted, the Study Group will further deliberate and finish and release the report.