September 12, 2024 Release of the Eighth Report of the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges, etc. and Guidelines for Applying Business Improvement Orders to Incoming Incentive Contracts that Cause Traffic Pumping

 The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) made an appeal for opinions from Saturday, June 29, 2024, to Monday, July 29, 2024, on the Eighth Report drafted by the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges, etc. (chaired by AIDA Hitoshi, Specially Appointed Professor at the University of Tokyo) along with Guidelines for Applying Business Improvement Orders to Incoming Incentive Contracts that Cause Traffic Pumping drafted by MIC based on discussions at the Study Group.
 With consideration of the result of the appeal for opinions, MIC has released the Eighth Report finalized by the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges, etc. At the same time, MIC has finalized and released the Guidelines for Applying Business Improvement Orders to Incoming Incentive Contracts that Cause Traffic Pumping.

○ Background

 MIC organized the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges* (hereafter referred to as the “Study Group”) in March 2017. Since then, the Study Group has been deliberating on the current interconnection system, which is the basis for ensuring fair competition, and other matters for providing diverse services smoothly in a fair competition environment.
 The Study Group issued the Seventh Report in September 2023. After that, the Study Group held 11 meetings up to June 2024. While listening to the opinions of related businesses and business organizations as observers, the Study Group continued discussions and verifications, focusing on the status of efforts to work on various issues pointed out in the Seventh Report.
 With the results of these deliberations having been summarized, the Study Group drafted the Eighth Report. MIC drafted the Guidelines for Applying Business Improvement Orders to Incoming Incentive Contracts that Cause Traffic Pumping based on discussions at the Study Group.　Then MIC made an appeal for opinions from Saturday, June 29, 2024, to Monday, July 29, 2024, on the drafts and received 15 opinions on the Report and nine on the Guidelines.
 With consideration of the result of the appeal for opinions, MIC has released the Eighth Report finalized by the Study Group. At the same time, MIC has finalized and released the Guidelines for Applying Business Improvement Orders to Incoming Incentive Contracts that Cause Traffic Pumping.

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  The name was changed from the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges in December 2019.