**Country Report from Japan to the 45^th^ CGSIC/IISC Meeting**

**(Sept. 12-13, 2005, at Long Beach)**

**[A Brief of the present status concerning the Japanese GNSS
Policy]{.underline}**

\(1\) Since the GPS utilization in Japanese consumers has expanded with
the steady growth of Car navigation market, Navigation-aid Taxi-cab
services and Applications in the personal security for children, the
satellite positioning system GPS and map information Contents have come
to appear frequently in the mass media report, resulting in the
increased interest in GPS itself and in unique Map display among the
consumers.

(2) On the other hand, Ministerial Offices in Japan are faced with the
    necessity to implement the administrative framework for cost
    effective renewal of fundamental geo-spatial digital data, as the
    GIS Action Program progresses, resulting in better understanding of
    importance with the well-controlled satellite positioning system
    that makes high-accuracy positioning and survey feasible.
    Furthermore, the Japanese version of GPS-based emergency call E-911
    system is scheduled to come on-stream from April, 2007, as part of
    security and safety-of-life policies.

(3) In this connection, the earliest materialization of QZSS (Japanese
    Quasi-Zenith Satellite System) is looked for to improve GPS signal
    Availability in urban zones and also better geometry (improvement of
    Dilution of Precision value) as well.

(4) As the result, revision of various laws and regulations has come to
    be required in order to utilize GPS, which has come to bear a
    significant impact on day-to-day life of the Japanese people, in
    more efficient and secure manner. Under the circumstances, a
    political study board was established as the consulting organ under
    the Political Affairs Research Committee, which has secretariat
    functions for law making, of the Liberal Democratic Party who is the
    ruling party of current administration. And the need to establish an
    institution law for the management of GNSS utilization as well as a
    principle Act for management and operation of the geo-spatial
    information renewal has come to be recognized among the policy
    makers and politicians. Talks are continued presently.

(5) The policy and the measures for satellite positioning so far
    confirmed can be best summarized as follows:

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i.  The governmental framework to guarantee "Accuracy and Reliability"
    of the Location data and Time data by satellite positioning shall be
    implemented.

ii. The specific measures shall consist of the QZSS operation,
    improvement of positioning accuracy in coordination with GPS
    Constellation, and control of the "Accuracy and Reliability" for
    Location and Time determination, at the responsibility of the
    government to serve GNSS utilization by the people.

iii. All related work shall be clearly defined as the government
     controlled matter\".

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(6) Just yesterday, on September 11, 2005, general election of the House
    of Representatives was conducted centered on the acceleration of
    administrative reforms, and for the first time, the above measures
    was included in the Manifest (the election pledge) of the Liberal
    Democratic Party. That is \"Establishment of the principle Act for
    the national control of satellite positioning Location and Time data
    with GPS + QZSS\"

We expect to present to you a better report on definite progress of the
matter at the next CGSIC Meeting in September, 2006.

Thank you.