## (2) Increasing sophistication of networks

To address network advances, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications commissioned the Study Group on Advanced use of Internet with IPv6 to look into policies for the smooth introduction of IPv6 and constructed the Task Force on IPv4 Address Exhaustion, a joint public-private body to promote IPv6 adoption in partnership with other organizations. The Task Force is working on drawing up action plans for various Internet operators, drafting and executing promotional strategies for Internet operators, and creating educational programs on IPv6 technology.

## (3) Initiatives advancing the New Broadband Super Highway (Hikari-no-michi) Plan

By the end of FY 2010, the targets of the Strategy on Bridging the Digital Divide (formulated in June 2008)—eliminating broadband-zero areas and reducing the number of people outside of cellular phone service areas by 200,000—were almost reached. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications set a target of realizing broadband service availability at all households by around 2015 through further acceleration of infrastructure development and application, and it formulated and issued in December 2010 a basic policy and timetable that includes the required measures and implementation schedule to accomplish this target.

## (4) Telecommunications Business Dispute Settlement Commission

The name of the commission was changed to the Telecommunications Business Dispute Settlement Commission with the addition of disputes in the broadcast sector to its purview with the June 30, 2011, enforcement of the Law for Partial Reform of the Broadcast Act, etc. (Act No. 65 of 2010), which had been completed and promulgated in 2010. The commission currently consists of five commissioners and seven special commissioners appointed by the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications who work to resolve disputes.

### 2. Development of broadcast policy

## (1) Advancement of digital broadcasting

The switchover to digital-only terrestrial broadcasts was completed nationwide on July 24, 2011, except in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures, which sustained severe damages in the Great East Japan Earthquake. As of December 31, 2010, terrestrial digital broadcast signals reached approximately 98.0 percent of households and the household penetration rate of terrestrial digital broadcast receivers was 94.9 percent. And as of the same date, 25.41 million households could watch terrestrial digital broadcasts via cable TV (approximately 99.0 percent of all cable TV subscribing households) and nearly all cable TV facilities had migrated to digital.

## (2) Development of satellite broadcast policy

Japan’s satellite broadcasts provide a diverse range of specialty broadcast services and have served as a technically cutting-edge media, including advancing the resolution of television broadcasts. The cumulative shipments of special satellite receivers (capable of receiving BS and 110 CS digital broadcasts) reached approximately 104.85 million (as of March 31, 2011) and approximately 23.40 million households could watch special satellite broadcasts (as of March 31, 2010).

### 3. Development of radio policy

## (1) Overview of radio policy

### A. Promotion of effective radio spectrum usage

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is actively moving forward with efforts to take advantage of white spaces in the radio spectrum. In September 2010, the Ministry established the Meeting for White Space Promotion Panel with the aim of sharing white spaces nationwide through public-private partnerships to better use radio spectrum. Based on results obtained in the Special White Space Areas, the Panel is now examining groundwork preparations and rulemaking needed to implement white space sharing.

### B. Wireless broadband initiatives

To realize the world’s leading wireless broadband environment in Japan and to address the growing spectrum demands of mobile communication systems, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications set up the Working Group for Study of Frequencies for Implementation of Wireless Broadband under the ICT Policy Task Force for a Global Era in May 2010. The Working Group examined means of ensuring sufficient frequencies to implement a wireless broadband environment and compiled and released its findings in November 2010.

### C. Introduction of a frequency auction system

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications set up the Panel Discussion concerning Frequency Auctions in March 2011 to analyze the current status of frequency auctions and examine challenges and specific measures ahead of introducing a frequency auction system to Japan. The Panel is currently in the midst of its investigation.

## (2) Radio usage advancement and diversification initiatives

In times of natural calamities and other emergencies, it is critical to accurately ascertain the situation in the afflicted area in order to deploy relief work and restora-