January 29, 2025 Results of the Solicitation for Opinions on the Proposed Rules for Calculating Category 2 Subsidy and Category 2 Contribution for the Provision of the item (ⅱ) universal Telecommunications Services, etc., and the Report from the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council

 The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) consulted the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council (chaired by AIDA Hitoshi, professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo) on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 (No. 3190) regarding the proposed rules for calculating the Category 2 subsidy and Category 2 contribution for the provision of the item (ⅱ) universal telecommunications services, and also solicited opinions from Thursday, December 12, 2024 through Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Today, a report was received from the Council, so it will be made public, and at the same time, the opinions submitted in response to the solicitation for opinions and the thoughts from MIC on them will be released.

1. Background and overview of the draft ministerial ordinance

 This draft ministerial ordinance establishes the rules for calculating the Category 2 subsidy and Category 2 contributions for the provision of the item (ⅱ) telecommunications services based on the Information and Communications Council's “Report on the Future of the Universal Service System for Broadband Services” (February 7, 2023), the Council's “Report on the Method of Calculating Universal Service Subsidies and Contributions in the Universal Service System for Broadband Services” (March 28, 2024), and the In light of the “Concept for the Draft ministerial Ordinance on the Universal Service System for Broadband Services” (November 21, 2024), which was released following a study on cost calculation, etc. for the Universal Service System for Broadband Services and a request for opinions, in order to carry out the necessary system improvements for calculating the Category 2 subsidy and Category 2 contribution, etc., and to partially amend the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Telecommunications Business Act (Ministerial Ordinance of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications No. 25 of 1985).

2. Results of the solicitation for opinions and the report

 On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, MIC consulted the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council regarding the proposed rules for calculating the Category 2 subsidy and Type 2 contribution for the provision of the second-order basic telecommunications services.
 With regard to the draft ministerial ordinance (including matters other than those referred to the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council), opinions were solicitated from Thursday, December 12, 2024 through Wednesday, January 15, 2025, to which seven opinions were submitted.

3. Future plans

 Based on the results of the solicitation of opinions and this report, MIC plans to promptly prepare the necessary ordinances.