February 2, 2022 Report from the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council on Partial Revisions to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act and Results of Appeal for Opinions on Draft Ministerial Ordinance for Partial Revisions to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act and Pertinent Conditions

Today, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) received a report from the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council on partial revisions to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (inquiry No. 3147 of December 3, 2021).
In this connection, following the decision of the Telecommunications Business Committee of the Council, MIC made an appeal for opinions on a drafted ministerial ordinance for partial revisions to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act and pertinent conditions (hereafter referred to as the “draft ministerial ordinance”) from December 4, 2021 through January 7, 2022. In this regard, MIC has decided to open the opinions submitted, the Council’s views on the opinions, and the results of MIC’s review based on the views.
MIC will promptly revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act, etc. based on the results of this report and the results of the appeal for opinions.

1. Outline of draft ministerial ordinance

The subject matter is for partial revisions to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (MPT Ordinance No. 25 of 1985) and applicable conditions, with consideration of the ideal state of public telephones in response to changes in the socio-economic environment (a report of July 7, 2021, from the Information and Communication Council). These revisions will add disaster-use public telephones to universal services, relax the installation standards for category I public phones, and elaborate the contents of reports that ascertain the installation and usage of public telephones.

2. Results of appeal for opinions and report

MIC made an appeal for opinions on the draft ministerial ordinance^* from Saturday, December 4, 2021 through Friday, January 7, 2022, and received nine opinions.

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  The revisions included in the draft ordinance are as follows:

• Partial revision of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act [Item subject to consultation]
• Partial revision of the Rules for Reporting on Telecommunications Business (MPT Ordinance No. 46 of 1988) [Item not subject to consultation]
• Partial revision of the Rules of the Interconnection Tariff for Type 1 Designated Telecommunications Facilities (MPT Ordinance No. 64 of 2000) [Item not subject to consultation]
• Partial revision of the Ministerial Ordinance for Partial Revision of Rules for Interconnection Charges (MIC Ordinance No. 14 of 2005) [Item not subject to consultation]

3. Future plans

MIC will promptly revise the Regulations for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act, etc. based on the results of this report and the results of the appeal for opinions.