May 24, 2022 Signing Memorandum of Cooperation on 5G Supplier Diversification and Open RAN

Today, on the occasion of holding the Japan-Australia-India-U.S.(Quad) Leaders’ Meeting, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on 5G Supplier Diversification and Open RAN with the relevant agencies of the QUAD partners.

1. Background

Japan, Australia, India, and the United States (Quad) have held meetings of the Critical & Emerging Technologies (CET) Working Group under the framework of the leaders' meeting and continued discussions regarding measures for "supplier diversification" that would contribute to building safe, open and transparent networks, including 5G, and for the promotion of "Open RAN" as specific initiatives.
With a view to advancing QUAD cooperation more strongly, the relevant agencies of the four countries signed a memorandum of cooperation.

2. Content of the memorandum (main items and outline)

• 1.
  Purpose
• 2.
  Scope of cooperation and activities

  • Sharing information on the inspection, interoperability, and security of Open RAN
  • Considering the possibility of sharing a test environment
  • Considering the details of further cooperation
  • Considering the possibility of further cooperation with fellow countries
• 3.
  Implementation structure
• 4.
  Review of the framework

3. Future direction

Based on this memorandum, MIC will continue to cooperate with the relevant agencies of the QUAD partners in developing specific cooperative measures and carrying out initiatives for third-country collaboration in connection with 5G supplier diversification and Open RAN.