Abstract
The Act Partially Amending the Telecommunications Business Act and the Act on Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, etc., which was passed in the 201th Japanese ordinary diet session, has mainly three aims; (1) the act maintains the articles regarding cases when foreign corporations, etc., operate telecommunications businesses, (2) it enables Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation (NTT East and West) to provide telephone services by means of the telecommunication facilities of other telecommunications carriers, (3) it maintains the articles concerning regulations on systems for interlocking directorate within the telecommunication carriers that install Category I designated telecommunication facilities. The purpose of this act is to respond to changes in social structures, such as the globalization of the telecommunications market and population decline, and to secure the users’ interests related to telecommunication services.
Specifically, as for (1), this maintains the articles regarding the obligation to designate domestic representatives, etc., at the time of registration/notification. Also, it maintains articles regarding the publication system in the case of the Telecommunications Business Act violations. The background of these is to strengthen the effectiveness of discipline for foreign corporations, etc., due to a rapid domestic usage expansion of platform services provided by foreign corporations, etc.
As for (2), this maintains the legal system enabling NTT East and West to provide telephone services by means of the facilities of other telecommunications carriers, only if the necessary conditions are met, and with the approval of the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communication. The background of this is due to expectations that a deficit trend at telephone services provided by NTT East and West will deteriorate further due to the rapid progress of population decline.
