August 3, 2026 Publication of the Direction for Institutional Arrangements Based on the Amendment to the Mobile Phone Wrongful Use Prevention Act

　The Study Group on the Improvement of the Usage Environment for ICT Services (chaired by SHISHIDO George, a professor at the Graduate School of Law and Politics at the University of Tokyo) and its Working Group on Countermeasures against Improper Use of ICT Services (chaired by OTANI Kazuko, Advisor, The Japan Research Institute, Limited) have discussed institutional arrangements based on the amendment to the Act on Identity Confirmation, etc. Performed by Mobile Voice Communications Carriers for their Subscribers, etc. and for Prevention of Wrongful Use of Mobile Voice Communications Services (hereinafter referred to as the “Mobile Phone Wrongful Use Prevention Act”) since July 2026. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has published the document titled “Direction for Institutional Arrangements Based on the Amendment to the Mobile Phone Wrongful Use Prevention Act,” which summarizes the results of their discussions.

Note: The published materials are in Japanese only.

1　 Background

　The Act Partially Amending the Act on Identity Confirmation, etc. Performed by Mobile Voice Communications Carriers for their Subscribers, etc. and for Prevention of Wrongful Use of Mobile Voice Communications Services (Act No. 25 of 2026; hereinafter referred to as the “Amended Act”) was enacted on Friday, May 22, 2026, and promulgated on Friday, May 29, 2026, in light of the “Comprehensive Measures to Protect People from Frauds 2.0,” which was adopted at the Ministerial Meeting Concerning Measures against Crime on April 22, 2025, the Report on Improving the Usage Environment to Address Various Issues Surrounding ICT Services compiled by the Study Group, and other considerations, in order to take measures to address the diversification and sophistication of the wrongful use of telecommunications services for mobile communication terminals in recent years.

　Some details of the system under the Amended Act are delegated to MIC ministerial ordinances. In preparation for the enforcement of the Amended Act, the Working Group has discussed the direction of institutional arrangements, including amendments to MIC ministerial ordinances, since July 2026.

　The results of the discussions were compiled at the 14th meeting of the Working Group, held on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, and reported to the 11th meeting of the Study Group, which conducted deliberations by email from Monday, July 27, 2026, to Friday, July 31, 2026, as the “Direction for Institutional Arrangements Based on the Amendment to the Mobile Phone Wrongful Use Prevention Act.”

2　 Materials

The materials distributed at the meetings of the Study Group and other related materials are posted at the following link:
https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/kenkyu/ICT_services/index.html