August 25, 2025 Results of Solicitation of Opinions on the Draft Amendments to Relevant Ministerial Ordinances Concerning the Digitization of Radio Station Licenses, etc.

　In order to develop systems for the digitization of radio station licenses, etc., the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) solicited opinions on a ministerial ordinance partially amending the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act, from Saturday, May 31, 2025, through Monday, June 30, 2025. As a result, 39 opinions were submitted, and the MIC is therefore publishing the submitted opinions along with its responses.

Note: The published materials are in Japanese only.

1. Background and overview

　In recent years, the government as a whole has been promoting the “Digital First Principle,” under which individual administrative procedures and the related work of administrative agencies are completed entirely through digital means. With regard to administrative procedures based on the Radio Act as well, it is necessary to further advance digitization in order to contribute to greater speed, efficiency, and cost reduction for both license holders and administrative agencies.
　Against this backdrop, based on the Act to Partially Amend the Radio Act and the Broadcasting Act (Act No. 27 of 2025), the government will abolish “paper licenses” for radio stations and introduce a system that allows license holders to view license information online. Through the “shift to full digitization,” the digitization of radio station licenses and related documents will be implemented in a manner suitable for such procedures. At the same time, electronic notifications of administrative dispositions will also be made possible.
　In conjunction with the enforcement of the amended law, a “Draft Ministerial Ordinance Partially Amending the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act ” was prepared to establish systems related to the digitization of radio station licenses and other matters, and opinions were solicited on this institutional reform proposal.

2. Future plans

　Today, based on the draft ministerial ordinance, the MIC promulgated a ministerial ordinance partially amending the Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Act. These will take effect on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 (with some exceptions).

3. How to obtain the materials

　The materials will be posted in the “Public Comments” section of e-Gov (https://www.e-gov.go.jp/ ).