May 23, 2022 Solicitation of Opinions on Draft Ministerial Order for Partial Amendment to Regulation for Enforcement of Postal Act

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) drafted a ministerial order for partial amendment to the Regulation for Enforcement of the Postal Act (MIC Order No. 5 of 2003) to provide for rules on concurrent businesses of certified mail authentication officers. Accordingly, MIC will solicit opinions on the draft ministerial order from Tuesday, May 24 through Monday, June 6, 2022.

1. Background and outline of the amendment

In principle, if certified mail authentication officers intend to engage in a concurrent business, they must obtain approval in advance from the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications for each business. However, in the case of engaging in the service of fire corps volunteers as their concurrent business, the approval procedure is simplified and certified mail authentication officers are deemed to have obtained approval from the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications as of the day on which they notified Japan Post Co., Ltd. of their intention to assume the office of part-time fire corps volunteers, in which case they do not need to follow the procedure to obtain the Minister's approval.
The Regulation for Enforcement of Postal Act will be partially amended to simplify the approval procedure in the same manner to enable certified mail authentication officers to engage in some public services in their communities other than fire corps volunteers.

2. Procedure of solicitation of opinions

1. Subject

Draft Ministerial Order for Partial Amendment to Regulation for Enforcement of Postal Act

2. Period for submission of opinions

From Tuesday, May 24, until no later than Monday, June 6, 2022 (submission of opinions by postal mail must also arrive no later than the deadline)

3. Future schedule

MIC will promptly amend the ministerial order based on the submitted opinions.

4. How to obtain reference information

The draft ministerial order will be posted on the public comment page of e-Gov and will also be made available for viewing and obtaining copies at the Postal Policy Division, Postal Services Policy Planning Department, Information and Communications Bureau, MIC.

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  The published material is in Japanese only.