## Promotion of International Policies

With respect to recent trends at the G8 summits, a report concerning an action plan to eliminate the international digital divide (the Geneva Action Plan) was submitted by the Digital Opportunity Task Force, which was supported at the Geneva Summit held in July, 2001 with an agreement to review the progress status of the Geneva Action Plan at the Kananaskis Summit (Canada), which will be held in June 2002. In addition, in order to resolve international economic issues in the information and communications field, Japan has been actively working to promote international mutual understanding and international cooperation through a variety of meetings between two or more countries. In terms of the trends in international satellite communications, INTELSAT and INMARSAT have implemented organizational reforms in private sector companies offering services and in the governmental agencies overseeing these private sector companies as a result of the intensified competition that is due to the entry into the market of private sector companies and the diversification of services.

## Promotion of International Cooperation

The MPHPT has been providing assistance for the development of human resources in the IT field, the creation of IT policies and systems in developing countries via communication with the responsible information and communications authorities, the development of an information and communications groundwork by conducting international joint tests, and for international and regional institutions promoting global cooperation in order to resolve the international digital divide. At the same time, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), the MPHPT has made contributions to the continuous development of the information and communications fields in developing countries mainly through Official Development Assistance (ODA).

## Promotion of Activities Towards International Standardization

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) plays a central role in international standardization in the information and communications field. Within the ITU, the Telecommunications Standardization Sector (ITU-T) and the Radio Communications Sector (ITU-R) engage in standardization activities.

## Response to Development of the International Distribution of Telecommunication Devices

The MPHPT has consistently promoted mutual recognition between the countries of the world. For example, the Agreement on Mutual Recognition between Japan and the European Community was signed in April 2001 and came into effect in January 2002, enforcing mutual recognition in four areas, namely, telecommunications devices, electronic products, chemical products, and pharmaceutical products. As a result of this agreement, the MPHPT has been promoting mutual recognition with the European Union and has enacted and enforced the Law for Implementation of the Mutual Recognition between Japan and the European Community in Relation to Conformity Assessment of Specified Equipment, which is designed to facilitate the export and import of telecommunications devices, and cabinet orders.