September 10, 2021 Release of Fifth Report of Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges, etc.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) made 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, etc. (chaired by TSUJI Masatsugu, President and professor at Kobe International University).
With consideration of the result of the appeal for opinions, the fifth report of the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges, etc. was finalized, and MIC has decided to release the same.

1. Background

MIC organized the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges^* 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 diverse services smoothly in a fair competition environment.
The Study Group issued the fourth report in September 2020. Later, the Study Group held eleven meetings up to September 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, etc., 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.
The results of these studies were organized. Accordingly, MIC made an appeal for opinions from Friday, July 2 through Monday, August 2, 2021, on the drafted fifth report compiled by the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges, etc. As a result, 12 opinions were submitted.
With consideration of the result of the appeal for opinions, the fifth report of the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges, etc. was finalized, and MIC has decided to release the same.

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

2. Report

• *
  The published material is in Japanese only.