Group on the Nature of Cable Television in the 2010's to conduct discussions regarding the nature of cable television services with an eye to 2010 and after, in order to identify future tasks, and deliberate on comprehensive support measures for the development of cable television, and a report is scheduled to be finalized by June 2007.

### 3. Promotion of radio policy

## (1) Radio policy summary

### A. Promotion of Strategy for Frequency Liberalization

For delivery of radio broadband services, which is the key to the realization of a ubiquitous society in Japan, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is promoting the Strategy for Frequency Liberalization as a means to formulate a framework to drastically liberalize frequencies and allocate them to new fields. According to this strategy, the Ministry has introduced the calculation method of radio usage fee based on economic value of the radio waves, and the “registration system of radio stations” required for free activities of radio businesses. The Ministry continues to promote the policy based on this strategy.

### B. Establishing a procedure to facilitate a quick and flexible radio usage

To outline the basic direction of deliberations on a system that integrates and links communications and broadcasting, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been having meetings of the "Study Group on Comprehensive Legal System Governing Communications and Broadcasting" since August 2006. The study group issued a report concerning the Radio Law, "Legal System in Response to New Aspects of Communications and Broadcasting -- toward Acceleration of Wireless Innovations –" in January 2007. Taking the proposals from this report into account, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications submitted the "Law Bill to Amend the Broadcast Law" to the 166th Diet, including a partial revision of the Radio Law, which facilitates a quick and flexible radio usage, and the Telecommunications Business Law, together with other revisions.

### C. Promotion of reform of frequency allocation

Service of cellular phones is now encountering a rapid shift from second to third generation. In response to the situation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications set up a licensing scheme in August 2004 which specified 1.7GHz (FDD system) and 2GHz (TDD system) bands as bands for the third generation cellular phones. In November 2004, the Ministry approved establishment of particular base stations for three newly entered cellular phone business operators who use this frequency band. Furthermore, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications launched the Action Plan for Radio Spectrum Reallocation to present the action plan to implement smooth and steady follow-ups on the radio spectrum reallocation. This Action Plan is to be sequentially reviewed based on evaluation results of the annual survey on radio spectrum usage and changes in the environment for radio spectrum usage, etc.

## (2) Approach to advancement and diversification of radio usage

A. Advancement of mobile communication system

The 1.5GHz band is currently used for second generation cellular phones and independent mobile communications. To promote a reform of bands to secure bands for third generation cellular phones, in April 2007, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications developed a system including new technical criteria toward introduction of third generation cellular phones and the modified frequency assignment plan. So-called fourth generation mobile telecommunications systems in around 2010, following IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunications-2000), are being internationally standardized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). With the aim to realize practical application in and around 2010, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is actively promoting efforts for research and development and international standardization with industry-academia-government cooperation.

### B. Setting up the Ultra Wide Band (UWB) wireless system and wireless access system

The Information and Communications Council conducted deliberations on the technical requirements for the UWB wireless system while taking account of the following conditions: the user environment for the UWB wireless system, operational forms of other wireless systems, domestic users' needs and the trend in international discussions, etc. As a result, a partial report was put forward in March 2006 on the technical requirements for the UWB wireless system for communications using microwave bands. Based on the report, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications revised the related ordinances, etc. in August 2006. Also, in May 2007, the Ministry set up a system for the introduction of a High-speed Wireless LAN System which supports communication speeds over 100Mbps.

## (3) Development of radio usage environment

With rapid diffusion and advancement of radio usage such as cellular phones, public concerns are growing that radio frequencies emitted by wireless facilitates may have an undesirable effects on human health, and induce malfunction of medical devices such as implanted cardiac pacemakers.

To resolve these concerns and create an environment where people in Japan can use radio frequencies safely and securely, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is currently working on establishment of appropriate criteria and conducting continuous research. The Ministry is also promoting international