March 26, 2025 Results of Solicitation for Opinions on Designation of Category I Eligible Telecommunications Carrier and Category II Eligible Telecommunications Carrier, and Designation of Coverage Support Districts for Category II Eligible Telecommunications Carrier, and 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) regarding the designation of Category I and II Eligible telecommunications carriers (consultation No. 3193, dated Wednesday, January 29, 2025). In addition to these designations, MIC also solicited opinions on the designation of the coverage support districts for Category II Eligible telecommunications carriers from Thursday, January 30 through Friday, February 28, 2025, and MIC has received a report from the Council and therefore published the results of the solicitation of opinions today.

1. Background

　　MIC received an application from Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation to be designated as a Category I Eligible telecommunications carrier under Article 108, Paragraph 1 of the Telecommunications Business Act (Act No. 86 of 1984) on Friday, January 10, 2025, as well as an application from Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone We
st Corporation, and ZTV Co., Ltd. to be designated as a Category II Eligible telecommunications carrier under Article 110-3, Paragraph 1 of the same act, on Monday, January 6, 2025, and MIC consulted with the Information and Communications and Posts Administrative Council on these designations on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
　In addition to these designations, MIC also solicited opinions on the designation of the coverage support districts of the Category II designated telecommunications carriers from Thursday, January 30 through Friday, February 28, 2025.

2. Results of the solicitation for opinions and the report

(1) With regard to the designation of Category I and Category II Eligible telecommunications carriers, MIC received a report today that it is appropriate to make the designations as requested.
(2) No opinions were submitted in response to the solicitation of opinions from Thursday, January 30 through Friday, February 28, 2025.

3. Future plans

　Based on this report, MIC plans to promptly issue the designations.