### 2. Radio broadcasting

With ability to transmit information restricted by the disruption of mobile phone and other phone lines, as well as extensive power outages making television viewing impossible across a wide area, simple and convenient battery-powered radios served as a vital means of access to information.

On March 11, the day of the quake, MIC issued a verbal directive to NHK, the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan, and all radio stations in the Tohoku region, requesting that they "make the utmost efforts to broadcast disaster information and ensure it reaches residents of the region, as radio is an essential means of transmitting information under the current circumstances." In addition, the MIC procured 10,000 portable radios and progressively distributed them in response to local governments' requests.

### 3. Cable TV

The cable TV infrastructure was damaged, with three facilities destroyed or washed away by the tsunami. However, cable TV broadcasters were able to utilize the particular ability of the medium to provide local community information, with some broadcasters operating autonomous community channels providing information from local disaster response headquarters and other earthquake-related information.

### 4. Community broadcasts and special emergency broadcasts

Community broadcasting via FM radio is familiar to community residents as a source of information for everyday living, administrative information, disaster information, welfare and medical information, and other local information. In the event of a disaster, however, it plays a greatly increased role as a key source of detailed, up-to-the-minute disaster-related information for survivors.

On March 14, 2011, MIC issued a verbal request to 27 community broadcasters in the Tohoku region to broadcast information that would assist with relief, recovery and restoration efforts.

As of June 8, 2011, MIC had granted permission to operate special, emergency-broadcast FM stations providing earthquake-related information to residents of 24 communities in the Tohoku and North Kanto regions, taking a flexible approach to licensing by allowing the broadcasters to submit paperwork to the Tohoku / Kanto Bureau of Telecommunications at a later date.

Section 3

### Status of Postal Service 1. Status of damage and restoration efforts

As of March 14, Japan Post Network Co., Ltd. closed 583 post offices, or 53% of the total for the three most heavily damaged prefectures (151 in Iwate, 323 in Miyagi, and 109 in Fukushima Prefecture), due to total or partial destruction or flooding of buildings, but as of May 12, only 94 post offices constituting 9% of the total remained closed.

Japan Post Service Co., Ltd. was unable to deliver mail in 44 areas (nine in Iwate, 21 in Miyagi, and 14 in Fukushima Prefecture), or 15% of the three prefectures' areas, including those served by 17 of the totally or partially destroyed post offices and eight of the flooded ones $ ^{4} $ . However, operations were transferred to provisional facilities and recommenced, and as of June 23, mail is being collected and delivered everywhere except the no-go zone (seven areas) around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

### 2. Measures

Japan Post Network dispatched mobile post offices to the affected areas, accepted requests for reissuing of passbooks and cards lost in the disaster, advised people on savings and insurance matters, took emergency measures to handle savings accounts, etc. of survivors who lost passbooks, identification or personal seals, accepted mail forwarding requests and provided free postcard mailing for affected people.

In addition, Japan Post Service worked with local governments to ascertain the whereabouts of evacuees and deliver mail addressed to them. Other measures included waiving of postal fees for registered postal cash envelopes containing disaster relief donations, waiving of postal fees for mail sent by people affected by the disaster, and free delivery of postcards (distributed in stages from post offices to evacuation areas).

Section 4___

# Role Played by ICT and Emerging CShallenges

The Great East Japan Earthquake caused enormous