January 27, 2025 Implementation of Anti-disaster Drills for Securing Communication Services in Times of Large-scale Disasters (Chugoku Region)

 The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), local governments, telecommunications carriers, etc. will conduct joint drills to enhance and strengthen a system for early restoration of telecommunications services in the event of a large-scale natural disaster.

1. Background purpose

 In recent years, large-scale natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes and torrential rain have caused extensive damage to fixed-line and mobile phone telecommunications services.
 Telecommunications services are an important part of the infrastructure that is used in activities such as saving lives and supporting evacuees in the event of a large-scale natural disaster, and it is essential that the extent of the damage is assessed quickly and emergency restoration work is carried out.
 In order to restore telecommunications services as quickly as possible, it is important to secure power and fuel quickly, as well as to clear the roads leading to the damaged telecommunications facilities, and the issues that need to be addressed include working with power companies and fuel suppliers, as well as with road administrators.
 In order to address these issues, MIC, local governments, telecommunications carriers, and power companies will work together to conduct joint drills that simulate initial response measures.

2. Drills overview

A. Implementation area and date and time

 Chugoku region (Yamaguchi Prefecture) From 1:00 pm on Tuesday, January 28, 2025

B. Anticipated damage

 A situation in which telecommunications services are affected by widespread power outages in the prefecture due to flooding, a major earthquake, or the effects of a major earthquake are assumed. In order to restore mobile phone base stations that have stopped operating as quickly as possible, MIC, local governments, telecommunications carriers, and power companies will be conducting joint drills.

C. Participating organizations (tentative)

 MIC (Headquarters and Chugoku Bureau of Telecommunications), Yamaguchi Prefecture, West Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, NTT Docomo, Inc., KDDI Corporation, Softbank Corporation, Rakuten Mobile, Inc., Enecom Inc., Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc., Chugoku Electric Power Transmission and Distribution, Inc.

3. Drill content

 It is assumed that liaison members are dispatched from MIC (headquarters and Chugoku Bureau of Telecommunications office) and from telecommunication carriers to the Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters set up in each expected disaster area.
 Communication-related liaison and coordination meetings will be held for the dispatched liaisons, and in addition to collecting and sharing information on damage to telecommunications services, the drills will also involve discussions between participants, including experts, on securing power and fuel to restore mobile phone base stations and telecommunications buildings as quickly as possible, identifying issues related to clearing downed trees, considering countermeasures, and coordinating with relevant organizations.