now an essential part of citizen’s lives because it is used as a platform (a public infrastructure) for social, cultural, economic, and other citizen activities. At the same time, the rapid growth of the Internet has magnified its negative aspects, such as the circulation of illegal and harmful material.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has undertaken several initiatives to deal with these problems and will continue to promote them.

## (3) Anti-spam measures

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has taken comprehensive measures against spam, including enforcing laws based on the Act on Regulation of the Transmission of Specified Electronic Mail, promoting voluntary anti-spam efforts by telecoms, making the public aware of anti-spam measures, and promoting international cooperation on the spam issue. In September 2010, the Ministry established the Working Group on Approaches to Anti-Spam Measures. The Working Group is conducting examinations on a broad scale based on the current status of spam in Japan, hearings with anti-spam stakeholders, and conditions in other countries.

## (4) Protection of personal information in the ICT field

In the telecommunications field, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications amended its guidelines and commentary in July 2010 based on the second proposal of the Study Group on examining issues around ICT services from the user perspective, released in May 2010. In the broadcast field, the Ministry established in August 2004 the Guidelines concerning the Protection of Personal Information of Broadcast Receivers (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Bulletin No. 696 of 2004), which went into effect in April 2005, and revised the Guidelines in July 2007 based on developments after the Guidelines went into effect. In September 2009, the Ministry also made amendments to the Basic Policy to be Established by Businesses Handling Receiver Information (privacy policies, etc.), after a partial revision to the Basic Policy on the Protection of Personal Information (an April 2, 2004 Cabinet decision). The policy amendments included the addition of provisions that broadcasters should aim to implement (such as clearly stating the reasons, etc. for obtaining personal information and making any third-party consignment processes transparent) and stipulated that broadcasters have an obligation to endeavor to report any security breaches or losses of personal information to a certified personal information protection organization.

### 2. Promotion of information security policy

## (1) Government information security measures

Japan has fortified its efforts against information security problems with the establishment of the National Information Security Center (NISC) under the Cabinet Office in April 2005 and the establishment of the Information Security Policy Council under the IT Strategic Headquarters in May 2005.

In May 2010, the Information Security Policy Council established the Information Security Strategy for Protecting the Nation to respond appropriately to changes in the environment surrounding information security that is diversifying and becoming increasing sophisticated and complex. Under this strategy, the government will over the four-year period from 2010 to 2013 pursue a total of 196 specific initiatives and measures based on Information Security 2010 (July 2010), which supersedes the annual Secure Japan 2010 plan, in addition to the measures stipulated in the Second Basic Plan on Information Security.

## (2) Realization of a safe and secure Internet usage environment

Based on the Second Basic Plan on Information Security and other strategies and in view of its position as the supervising authority in the ICT field, a critical infrastructure for the nation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is engaged in many different initiatives — such as strengthening networks, assuring reliability, addressing the diversification of network-enabled devices, and improving human and organizational proficiencies — with the objective of developing an environment in which citizens can use ICT networks with confidence.

## (3) Assurance of the safety and reliability of telecommunications services

### A. Assurance of safety and reliability

To assure the safety and reliability of telecommunication services, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications sets technical standards for telecommunication equipment and devices through laws and ordinances, obliges telecoms to appoint chief telecommunications engineers and to report maintenance procedures to guarantee these technical standards are followed, and promotes the utilization of guidelines (Safety and Reliability Guidelines for Info-Communication Networks (Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications Bulletin No. 73 of 1987)).

Based on a February 2010 report, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications amended the Regulations for Chief Telecommunications Engineers (Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications Ordinance No. 27 of 1985) in order to revise the conditions imposed on