### 2. Initiatives in international frameworks

## (1) Promoting international policies under multilateral frameworks

### a. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

At APEC, MIC has served as the chair of the Liberalis-

ation Steering Group beginning from the 48th APEC-

TEL meeting in September 2013. While serving and

contributing as the chair, MIC has been presenting Ja-

pan’s ICT policies and actively pushing forward ICT-re-

lated activities at APEC, such as advocating that univer-

sal broadband access be set as a shared goal for APEC

member economies.

### b. Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT)

The APT, under Secretary-General Toshiyuki Yamada, promotes human resources development through training courses and seminars and coordinates regional policies on standardization and wireless communications in order to develop information and telecommunications infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region in a balanced manner.

MIC, using Japan’s Extra budgetary contributions, has accepted trainees in the ICT fields that are Japan’s forte and assisted exchanges among ICT engineers. MIC will continue to make contributions on behalf of Japan in view of the importance of APT’s activities.

### c. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Japan, as a dialogue partner country of ASEAN, promotes cooperation through Japan-ASEAN Summit Meetings, Japan-ASEAN telecommunications and IT Ministers Meetings, and other venues.

### d. International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

The ITU carries out many activities including allocating frequencies, standardizing telecommunications technology, and aiding development in the telecommunications field in developing countries. Japan is an active contributor to ITU, obtaining chair and vice-chair positions in study groups in many different fields, taking leadership posts for various research topics, and making recommendations and proposals.

### e. United Nations

The United Nations generally holds discussions pertaining to the Internet at the UN General Assembly First Committee, the UN General Assembly Second Committee, and the Economic and Social Council.

### f. World Trade Organization's Doha Round of negotiations

The telecommunications field is one of the most important trade-in-services fields at the Doha Round of negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO). Active negotiations are ongoing on further deregulation in the telecommunications field. Japan's telecommunications sector is one of the most deregulated in the WTO. As such, Japan is pushing other countries to eliminate or relax foreign capital regulations in the telecommunications sector.

### g. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Japan made a proposal that became The Protection of Children Online project at the OECD high-level meeting on the Internet economy, held at the OECD headquarters in Paris in June 2011. The OECD recommendation on this project was adopted in February 2012. A revised edition of the OECD Privacy Guidelines was adopted in July 2013, and revisions are currently being made to the OECD Security Guidelines.

## (2) International policy developments in bilateral relations

Japan seeks to exchange thoughts and ideas on a broad range of policy issues related to the Internet economy and to promote reaching a common understanding of development in the ICT field and form concrete collaborations on global issues. In this regard, Japan has been exchanging opinions with the United States about a broad range of policy issues through the “U.S.-Japan Policy Cooperation Dialogue on the Internet Economy” since the first session of the dialogue in November 2010. Japan also holds policy consultations on information and communications with European ministries and agencies in charge of information and communications and cooperates in the ICT field with Asian ministries and agencies in charge of information and communications.

## Section 8 Developments in Postal Service Administration

### 1. Promoting postal service administration

The Act for Partial Revision of the Postal Service Privatization Act (Law No. 30 of 2012), which was promulgated on May 8, 2012, has expanded the scope of universal service, which was until then limited to postal mail service, to cover savings and insurance services. The revision also mandated that the three postal businesses (postal mail service, savings, and insurance services) all be made available at post offices to improve user convenience. MIC, while ensuring the universality of the postal business, is progressing steadily with Japan Post privatization in a way that citizens can appreciate the benefits of privatization.