b. Enhancing the handling of location data for public use and application, including business uses

The location data acquired by telecommunications carriers has a high privacy threshold. Therefore, a usage framework must be established to govern the handling of location data as personal information. MIC's Study Group on Handling Location Data During Emergencies has been making the necessary arrangements to promote the public use and application of location data, including business uses, while adequately protecting the confidentiality of communications, personal information, and privacy since November 2013. MIC released the Study Group's findings in July 2014 in the Location Data Privacy Report.

### c. Handling personal and user information by ICT services

MIC set up the Working Group on Handling Personal and User Information under the previously mentioned Study Group on the Safety and Security of ICT Service. The purpose of the Working Group, which began its examinations in January 2015, is to look at approaches to handling personal, user, and other information used in conjunction with ICT services. The Working Group released a report in June 2015 summarizing its findings on the revision of the Guidelines for Protection of Personal Information in Telecommunications Business. MIC, based on the report’s findings, revised the Guidelines.

## Section 3 Developments in Radio Policy

### 1. Promoting effective radio spectrum use

## (1) Studies on how to encourage effective radio spectrum use

MIC is looking to drastically overhaul radio policies to eliminate radio spectrum congestion. MIC held meetings of the Radio Policy Vision Panel starting in January 2014 to have more concrete debates about the desired form of new radio spectrum applications and other matters, and, thus, pave the way to realizing and maintaining the world's leading wireless (mobile) nation. The Panel studied (1) the desired form of new radio spectrum applications, (2) setting new targets and implementation policies for the realization of new radio spectrum applications, and (3) approaches to the industries that support radio spectrum applications. The Panel's final report was released in December 2014.

## (2) Establishing digital ICT disaster-management systems

Disaster administration wireless communications and fire prevention, emergency wireless communications play a critical role for municipalities in determining the extent of disasters and directing emergency aid and life-saving operations. MIC is moving these radio systems that currently use the 150 MHz band and 400 MHz band to digital formats on the 260 MHz band to enable these radio systems, which previously only carried analog voice communications, to communicate much more information, including data transmissions and low-frame-rate video.

### 2. Radio usage advancement and diversification initiatives

## (1) Advancements in mobile communications systems

The Committee on Mobile Phone Advancement, under the Information and Communications Technology Subcommittee, Information and Communications Council, in April 2012 began studying the technical requirements for the introduction of a fourth-generation mobile communications system, given the directions of global technological progress and the requirement for more effective usage of the radio spectrum. MIC received a partial report from the Information and Communications Council in July 2013. Based on this report, MIC began in December 2013 practical system arrangements, such as revising the necessary radio equipment regulations to introduce technology for LTE-Advanced—a fourth-generation mobile communications system that can provide faster communication speeds than 3.9G mobile communications systems (LTE)—on existing mobile phone frequency bands.

MIC also received recommendations from the Radio Policy Vision Panel on combined industry-academic-government efforts to introduce fifth-generation (5G) mobile communications systems. In response, MIC set up the 5G Mobile Communications Advancement Forum in September 2014 to set the direction of 5G R&D and standardization and to promote 5G implementation. Four study groups are now delving into the promotion of international collaborations, R&D and standardization, applications, and 5G network architecture.

## (2) Promoting Intelligent Transport Systems

To realize the safe and convenient movement of people and goods, MIC is pursuing initiatives to reduce traffic accidents and resolve traffic congestion with Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).

From FY 2014 onward, MIC has been identifying and verifying the necessary examination issues for early implementation of driving-assistance systems using the 700 MHz band. The Ministry has also been running demonstration tests to establish the reliability of communications, interconnectivity, and security functionality so that actual applications will function properly. It also launched the Information Security Advisory Board ITS Security Study Group in February 2014 to obtain more specialized recommendations on information security for driving-assistance systems using the 700 MHz band.