March 31, 2026 Results of the Opinion Solicitation on the Draft Directive Partially Amending the Examination Standards Related to the Radio Act

— Relaxation of requirements for Measuring instruments used to verify the checks of specified experimental testing stations using in High-Frequency Bands —

　With the aim of further promoting the use of high-frequency bands, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications created the draft Directive to Partially Amending the Examination Standards Related to the Radio Act in order to relax the requirements for measuring instruments and other equipment used to verify checks of specified experimental testing stations. The Ministry solicited opinions on the Draft Directive from Saturday, February 7, 2026, to Monday, March 9, 2026.
　As a result, we received five opinions. We publish the submitted opinions and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ responses to the opinions.

*The published materials are in Japanese only.

1 Overview

　Regarding the verification through prior check of radio equipment for specified experimental testing stations using radio waves exceeding 110 GHz, based on the status of implementing services of calibration or correction as prescribed in Article 24-2, Paragraph 4, Item 2 of the Radio Act (Act No. 131 of 1950), it is permitted to conduct the verification through prior check of radio equipment using measuring instruments or other equipment deemed appropriate by the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, in cases where such verification is difficult to perform using measuring instruments or other instruments that has undergone the calibration or correction.

　Specifically, it is permitted to receive verification of configuration and correction values based on calibration standard (*1) or measurement standard (*2) from the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (hereinafter referred to as “NICT”) or the measuring instrument manufacturer, and to use the correction values to verify the checks. Once verified, such correction values remain valid for one year starting from the first day of the month following the month in which the verification was received.

　With the aim of further promoting the use of high-frequency bands, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications created the draft Directive to Partially Amending the Examination Standards Related to the Radio Act (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Directive No. 67 of 2001) in order to extend the validity period of verified correction values to two years. Opinions were solicitated from Saturday, February 7, 2026, to Monday, March 9, 2026.

• (*1) Calibration standard: An instrument used as a standard for calibration
• (*2) Measurement standard: An instrument used as a standard for measuring frequency ranges exceeding the frequency range of the calibration standard