March 8, 2023 Results of Solicitation of Opinions on Draft Ministerial Order for Partial Amendments to Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and Other Draft Amendments, and Report from the Radio Regulatory Council

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) solicited opinions from Saturday, January 14 through Monday, February 13, 2023, on a draft ministerial order for partial amendments to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act relating to upgrading convenience radio and other draft amendments. As a result, 10 opinions were submitted. Accordingly, MIC discloses the submitted opinions, along with MIC's views on them. After considering the results of the solicitation of opinions, MIC today submitted an inquiry to the Radio Regulatory Council (chaired by SASASE Iwao, Professor Emeritus, Keio University) about consultation matters in the draft ministerial order and other draft amendments based on the Radio Act (Act No. 131 of 1950), and has received a report from the Council, approving the draft as appropriate. MIC will promptly carry out the institutional development of the relevant provisions, based on the results of opinions submitted and the report from the Radio Regulatory Council.

1. Overview

Digital convenience radio is a type of radio station that does not require a radio operator qualification and is designed for simple operations and personal use. Usage of digital convenience radio has been growing in recent years, not only for voice communications, but also for data transmission in the IoT field.
At the same time, there is a growing need to eliminate dead zones, including the use of relays to eliminate dead zones at ski resorts and golf courses caused by topography, and dead zones that occur when using digital convenience radio within buildings such as commercial facilities, hotels, factories, and office buildings, due to radio waves being blocked by the structural materials.
Accordingly, the Information and Communications Council last year considered the technical requirements for upgrading digital convenience radio in order to eliminate dead zones through the use of convenience radio capable of unstaffed operation either automatically or through remote control. The council provided a partial report in November 2022.
In light of this situation, MIC solicited opinions on a draft ministerial order for partial amendments to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and other draft amendments, in order to carry out the institutional development required to upgrade digital convenience radio, to address the growing use of convenience radio in recent years and needs for its use for relay operations and the IoT.

2. Report from the Radio Regulatory Council

After considering the results of the solicitation of opinions, MIC submitted an inquiry to the Radio Regulatory Council about consultation matters based on the Radio Act (Act No. 131 of 1950) in the draft ministerial order for partial amendments to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act and other draft amendments, and has today received a report from the Council approving the drafts as appropriate.

3. Future plans

MIC will promptly carry out the institutional development of relevant regulations based on the report from the Radio Regulatory Council and the results of opinions submitted. MIC will make the information available for viewing and obtaining copies at the Fixed and Satellite Radio Communications Division, Radio Department, Telecommunications Bureau, MIC.

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