September 12, 2024 Publication of the Results of the Opinion Solicitation on the Draft Report on Verification of Competition Rules for 2024 (hereinafter referred to as the "Draft Report") and the Final Report

 The Working Group on the Verification of Competition Rules (hereinafter referred to as the "WG"), chaired by NIIMI Ikufumi, Professor Emeritus of Meiji University, under the Telecommunications Market Verification Council, compiled the Draft Report for 2024. From Saturday, June 22, 2024, to Monday, July 22, 2024, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) solicited opinions on the Draft Report.
 Based on the results of the opinion solicitation, the WG has compiled its final report for 2024. We will now make it available to the public.

1. Overview

 The WG was established in April 2020 under the "Telecommunications Market Verification Council," chaired by OHASHI Hiroshi, Vice President of the University of Tokyo and Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo. The Act No. 5 of 2019, which partially amends the Telecommunications Business Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Amending Act"), includes provisions, such as the separation of communication fees from terminal fees, the prohibition of excessive customer retention, and others. The WG is evaluating and verifying the effects and impacts of the Amending Act, the terms of service, such as fees, and the competitive environment among carriers.
 Since the Amended Act came into effect in 2020, the WG has continuously evaluated and verified the competition rules. It published the "Report on Verification of Competition Rules for 2020" in October of that year, followed by the 2021 version in September 2021, the 2022 version in September 2022, and the 2023 version in September 2023.
 Under these circumstances, the promotion of competition in mobile phone fees and services was included in the "Comprehensive Economic Measures to Completely End Deflation" approved by the Cabinet on November 2, 2023. The MIC also announced a Mobile Market Competition Promotion Plan during the same month. Promoting competition in the mobile market remains an important issue.
 In light of this situation, the WG analyzed and evaluated the current state of the mobile market, and examined measures to be taken based on the Mobile Market Competition Promotion Plan.
 Based on the results of the discussions at the WG and opinion solicitation, the WG has compiled the final report for 2024, which is now available for public review, along with the results of the opinion solicitation.

2. The results of the opinion solicitation

 Solicitation for opinion on the Draft Report for 2024 was conducted from Saturday, June 22, 2024, to Monday, July 22, 2024, during which 20 opinions were received.