Communications (Japanese market)

2022

A third of the population of Japan was left without communication due to an accident at a telecom operator

KDDI, a major Japanese telecommunications company, said on July 5, 2022 that it had completed work to restore mobile networks. The outage lasted about two days, affecting up to 39.15 million subscribers (about a third of Japan's population) and was regarded as the industry's worst outage of all time. Read more here.

Tests of 6G networks began in Japan

On June 6, 2022, NTT DoCoMo, Fujitsu and NEC announced the start of testing 6G networks in Japan. First, testing will take place indoors, and in March 2023 it will begin the stage of testing on the street. The commercial launch of technology, according to companies, will take place in 2030.

While 5G is in the early stages of rollout, many in the telecoms industry believe now is the right time to prepare for future 6G systems. NTT DoCoMo, Fujitsu and NEC are among those willing to consider the prospects of the 6G and begin exploring the prospects of future cellular technologies.

Tests of 6G networks began in Japan

In particular, DoCoMo and Fujitsu intend to create 6G wireless technologies for communication in the sub-terahertz wave band using the 100 GHz and 300 GHz bands. The most important technology here will be distributed MIMO, which implies the use of several antennas for sub-terahertz waves, which are dispersed to simultaneously emit radio waves from several directions to receiving devices.

The companies hope that the tests will lead to technologies that are resistant to obstacles and implement stable high-speed wireless communication at speeds over 100 Gbps. Fujitsu said that in order to maintain high speed and throughput while maintaining low size and power, it is necessary to develop high-frequency wireless devices using complex semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) and indium phosphate (InP).

According to DoCoMo, the test results will be reported to global research groups, international conferences and will serve as the basis for better technologies. In particular, the tests will explore numerous new mobile technologies needed for the 6G, including the use of millimeter and sub-terahertz (above 6 GHz) bands and artificial intelligence-based wireless data transmission methods.

{{quote 'We are excited to expand our collaboration with Docomo and NTT to develop 6G, an important foundation that will accelerate the merger of the digital and real world, connect things and experiences globally, and provide society with new values,' said Atsuo Kawamura, NEC Executive Vice President. Moreover, it will contribute to the implementation of the IOWN initiative within the NTT Group as we actively promote research and development to implement 6G and create a more prosperous society. }} DoCoMo further commented in a press release that the 6G would significantly outperform 5G performance and expand communications coverage in the sky, sea and space.^[1]

2020: Japan imposes internet tax on citizens to build 5G networks

In January 2020, it became known about the upcoming introduction of an Internet tax for citizens in Japan, thanks to which the country's authorities intend to receive money for the construction of telecommunications infrastructure for the launch of 5G networks. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to provide high-speed network access to all residents, including in villages and other areas remote from cities.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs  and Communications of Japan has developed a system in which each user Internet in the country will regularly pay a certain amount to the budget every month (several yen per subscriber). Local mobile and fixed-line operators will collect deductions.

In January 2020, it became known about the upcoming introduction of an Internet tax for citizens in Japan, thanks to which the country's authorities intend to receive money for the construction of telecommunications infrastructure for the launch of 5G networks

Extending this fee to all Internet users in the country, not just mobile subscribers, reduces the costs of each user. The tax will be introduced in 2020.

By the beginning of 2020, there are about 700 thousand households in Japan that do not have access to a fiber-optic line for Internet access. The government is doing its best to ensure that operators deploy networks in such regions, and hope that by the end of March 2024 the number of houses without access to wired Internet will be reduced to 180 thousand.

As part of the tax reform, mobile operators were given a tax holiday in 2020 to speed up the installation of base stations for 5G networks.

According to the cheapness of tariffs for wired Internet, Japan by the beginning of 2020 is in 81st place in the world. This service costs locals about $40.33 per month, which is $3.18 more than a year earlier. In 2019, the country was located on the 49th position  of the list (data from the consulting company BDRC Continental and the cable.co.uk portal specializing in the selection of communication tariffs).^[2]

2019

Japan restricts foreigners from buying shares in IT and telecom companies

On May 27, 2019, Japan announced that it would limit the participation of foreign capital in local IT and telecommunications companies.

The innovation, which will come into force on August 1, 2019 and will apply to 20 segments of the information and communication industry, is being adopted amid increasing pressure from the United States, which claims the risks of cybersecurity and technology transfer posed by China.

Japan fears technology leaks and restricts foreigners from buying shares in IT and telecom companies

The Japanese authorities did not name specific companies, the purchase of a share in which foreigners will be limited. With the new measures, the country does not want to allow the leakage of important technologies for it, as well as a blow to defense production and the national technological base.

As the importance of cybersecurity has grown in recent years, we have decided to take the necessary steps, including the addition [to the list of companies in which foreign business will not be able to significantly increase its share - approx. TAdviser] of the production of integrated circuits, to prevent situations that could seriously affect Japan's national security as needed, - said in a joint statement by the Japanese Ministries of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Communications, cited by Reuters.

According to Japanese law, the country can control foreign capital in local companies engaged in nuclear business, the production of weapons, aircraft, etc.

The law requires foreign investors to report to the Japanese government and be vetted if they buy 10% or more of shares in Japanese companies on a special list or acquire a stake in non-public companies.

If the authorities don't like something, they could force overseas investors to change or cancel their investment plans.^[3]

Japan to create 10 billion 14-digit numbers for 5G devices

On May 15, 2019, the Japanese Ministry of Communications announced plans to create about 10 billion 14-digit telephone numbers. This step is being taken as part of the deployment of fifth-generation (5G) networks, due to which, according to the department's forecasts, 11-digit numbers will end in 2022.

New numbers with 14 characters will start with the numbers 020. They will be introduced no later than the end of 2021. The initiative of the Japanese Ministry of Communications was supported by the "big three" mobile operators: NTT Docomo, KDDI and SoftBank.

Japan's Ministry of Communications to introduce 14-digit phone numbers for 5G equipment that start with 020

After listening to public comments, the ministry will prepare a report on this issue in June 2019 and will make the necessary preparations, including a ministerial decree. New numbers will be allocated to the main operators ahead of schedule if they complete the work on updating their systems within the agreed time frame, Jiji Press reports.

By May 2019, mobile phone numbers in Japan contain 11 characters and begin with the numbers 090, 080 and 070. For IoT devices, 11-digit numbers starting with 020 have been in effect since January 2017.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Communications, as of the end of March 2019, about 32.6 out of 80 million allocated numbers starting with 020 are registered by the largest mobile operators.

The new number of rooms is designed for 5G devices. As noted by VentureBeat, 14-digit digital combinations will be more difficult to remember, since research shows that it is usually difficult for people to remember a sequence of more than seven digits. The problem is complicated by an increase in the elderly population in Japan. On the other hand, the growing use of mobile applications that store contacts has reduced, if not eliminated at all, the need for most people to remember phone numbers.^[4]

Japan handed out 5G frequencies for free to operators

On April 10, 2019, Japan transferred 5G frequencies free of charge to four operators - NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, Softbank and Rakuten. These telecommunications companies, which applied in 2018, received radio frequencies and licenses to provide services on fifth-generation networks. Read more here.

2018

Internet penetration compared to other countries

2018

Proportion of residents without a smartphone

Share of residents of countries without a smartphone, 2018

2012: Japan drops 2G

Japanese mobile operators abandoned the use of second-generation networks in April 2010, recognizing this technology as very outdated and lacking in demand.

Testing of 3G networks in Japan began back in 2001. Now the vast majority of cellular subscribers in the country use 3G and 4G.

Telecom operators of Japan

According to open sources, at the end of May 2012 Japan , there are 5 mobile operators and one virtual operator. The total subscriber base is more than 130 million users.

The largest operator is NTT docomo. Uses the following technologies in the provision of communication services: UMTS, HSPA, LTE. Subscriber base - 60 384 400 (May 2012).

The second largest number of subscribers is au. The operator provides communication services using the following technologies: CDMA2000 1x, EV-DO Rev.A, WiMAX, plans - LTE. Subscriber base - 35,548,600 (May 2012).

The third operator is SoftBank Mobile. Technologies used: UMTS, HSPA +, DC-HSPA +, TD-LTE (AXGP), plans LTE. The subscriber base is 29,479,800 (May 2012).

The fourth operator is Willcom. Uses PHS technology. The total subscriber base is 4,652,200 (May 2012).

The fifth operator is EMOBILE. Data and voice technologies - UMTS, HSPA +, DC-HSPA +, LTE. The subscriber base at the end of 2009 amounted to more than 1.5 million users.

The virtual carrier is Disney Mobile. Provides communication services using UMTS, HSPA technologies. The subscriber base is not known.

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