January 17, 2022 Public Appeal for Project on Promoting Advanced Radio Environment Improvements based on FY2021 Supplementary Budget

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and the Communications and Information network Association of Japan (CIAJ), the executive organization of MIC’s Fiscal 2021 Project on Promoting Advanced Radio Environment Improvements based on the fiscal 2021 supplementary budget, have decided to make a public appeal from Monday, January 17 through Friday, February 4, 2022, for this project based on the fiscal 2021 supplementary budget.

1. Overview

The Project on Promoting Advanced Radio Environment Improvements based on the fiscal 2021 supplementary budget will expand the support areas. This expansion will include areas beyond disadvantaged areas as a special case for developing transmission line equipment, which is a prerequisite for high-speed, high-capacity wireless communications.
In addition, the subsidy rate will be increased for project plans in disadvantaged areas where local governments migrate public optical fibers to the private sector for service upgrading. In addition, if local governments in disadvantaged areas upgrade public optical fibers to shift to the private sector, a part of the cost will be subsidized.
As in the initial budget for fiscal 2021, the project is divided into direct subsidy project plans that provide direct assistance to prefectures, municipalities, and third-sector corporations and indirect subsidy project plans that provide indirect assistance to telecommunications carriers through the executive organization.

2. Public appeal for direct subsidy project plans

1. Implementing entities

Prefectures, municipalities, and third sector corporations

2. Period of application

From Monday, January 17 and no later than noon on Friday, February 4, 2022

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  In the event of many applications, the subsidy amount may be adjusted within the scope of the budget, or MIC may ask the applicants to use the initial budget for fiscal 2021 or the initial budget for fiscal 2022.

3. Method of application

Prepare the document following the Subsidy Grant Guidelines for the Support Project of Wireless System Diffusion Costs as shown in the URL specified in 4 (1) and the Implementation Manual for the Advanced Radio Environment Promotion Project. Then each applicant should apply using either of the following methods.

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  The published material is in Japanese only.

Submission of application form to the Regional Bureau of Telecommunications or the Okinawa Office of Telecommunications

Submit electronic data on the application document to the competent Regional Bureau of Telecommunications (the Okinawa Office of Telecommunications in the case of Okinawa) that has jurisdiction over the applicant’s location by email or a large-file transfer system designated by MIC.

Application by a system for filing requests for subsidies (jGrants)

Go to the JGrants website (https://www.jgrants-portal.go.jp/ ) to apply.

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4. Future schedule

After reviewing the submitted documents, an unofficial announcement and a grant decision will be made by the end of fiscal 2021.

3. Public appeal for indirect subsidy project plans

The execution of indirect subsidy projects will continue to be handled in the supplementary budget by the CIAJ, which executed the projects for fiscal 2021 under the initial budget.

1. Implementing entities

Telecommunications carriers (excluding municipalities and third-sector corporations as telecommunications operators)

2. Period of submission

From Monday, January 17 and no later than noon on Friday, February 4, 2022

• *
  In the event of many applications, the subsidy amount may be adjusted within the scope of the budget, or MIC may ask the applicants to use the initial budget for fiscal 2021 or the initial budget for fiscal 2022.

3. Method of application

Check the CIAJ’s website (https://www.ciaj.or.jp/broadband0302/ ).

4. Future schedule

After reviewing the submitted documents, an unofficial announcement and a grant decision will be made by the end of fiscal 2021.