November 20, 2024 Approval of the Amount and Method of Providing Category I Grants and Approval of the Amount and Method of Collecting Category I Dues under the Universal Service System in Item (i) Universal Telecommunications Service

 The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) received a report today from the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council (chaired by AIDA Hitoshi, Specially Appointed Professor at The University of Tokyo) stating that it is appropriate to approve the amount and method of providing category I grants under the provisions of Article 109, paragraph 1 of the Telecommunications Business Act (Act No. 86 of 1984) and the amount and method of collecting category I dues under the provisions of Article 110, paragraph 2 of the same Act (Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council Inquiry No. 3188 on October 2, 2024).
 MIC will promptly implement necessary procedures including approval related to this matter based on the reports and other information.

1. Background, etc.

 On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the Telecommunications Carriers Association, which is an Universal Telecommunications Service Support Institution, filed an application to the minister of MIC for approval of the amount and method of providing category I grants to NTT East and NTT West which are category I eligible telecommunications carriers pursuant to Article 109, paragraph 1 of the Telecommunications Business Act (Act No. 86 of 1984) and for approval of the amount and method of collecting category I dues imposed on individual interconnecting telecommunications carriers, etc. pursuant to Article 110, paragraph 2 of the same Act.

2. Reports and results of public solicitation

• 1.
  On Wednesday, October 2, 2024, MIC sent an inquiry to the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council regarding the approval of the amount and method of providing category I grants and the approval of the amount and method of collecting category I dues under the universal service system in item (i) universal telecommunications service, and today, received a report from the council stating that it is appropriate to approve.
• 2.
  The Council solicited opinions from Thursday, October 3 to Friday, November 1, 2024, and received one opinion.

3. Future plans

 Based on this report, MIC will promptly implement necessary procedures, including approval for this matter.