April 11, 2023 Correction Order, etc. to Faith, Inc. in Violation of Act on Identification, etc. by Mobile Voice Communications Carriers of their Subscribers, etc. and for Prevention of Improper Use of Mobile Voice Communications Services

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The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) today issued a correction order based on Paragraph 2, Article 15 of the Act on Identification, etc. by Mobile Voice Communications Carriers of their Subscribers, etc. and for Prevention of Improper Use of Mobile Voice Communications Services (Act No. 31 of 2005) to Faith, Inc. (headed by SASAKI Tsutomu, Representative Director; corporate No. 8013301039979, headquartered in Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) for its deeds in violation of the said Act.
Furthermore, MIC instructed SoftBank Corp. (headed by MIYAGAWA Junichi, Representative Director, President and CEO, corporate No. 9010401052465, headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo) and Telecom Service Co., Ltd. (headed by MITANI Daiki, representative director, corporate No. 8013301018504, headquartered in Toshima-ku, Tokyo) which have supervisory duties toward Faith, Inc. to ensure their supervision over intermediary agencies.

Overview of the case and details of the measures

The Act on Identification, etc. by Mobile Voice Communications Carriers of their Subscribers, etc. and for Prevention of Improper Use of Mobile Voice Communications Services (Act No. 31 of 2005, hereafter referred to as the “Act”) requires that the identity of the subscriber, etc. be verified when a new mobile phone subscription is made to prevent the improper use of cell phones for crimes such as bank transfer fraud.

Faith, Inc. was found to have concluded three line agreements of individual contractors from May 3 through May 24, 2022, without confirming the identities of the contractors in the manner prescribed by the Act. Its deed violated the provisions of Article 3, Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Act, which shall be applied mutatis mutandis in place of Article 6, Paragraph 3 of the Act.

For this reason, MIC today ordered Faith, Inc. to correct the violation under Article 15, Paragraph 2 of the Act.

On the same day, MIC also instructed SoftBank Corp. and Telecom Service Co., Ltd., which are obligated to supervise Faith, Inc., to thoroughly supervise their intermediaries, etc., in light of the legal violations at their agents.

MIC will continue to enforce the law to prevent the unauthorized use of mobile phones for crimes such as wire fraud.