Japan - Establishment of General Headquarters for Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting

MIC will establish the General Headquarters for Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting, with the Minister for International Affairs and Communications at its head, in order to advance general and deliberate promotion of digital terrestrial broadcasting.

1. Background and purpose
Digital terrestrial broadcasting that started in December 2003 has covered all the prefectures of Japan as of last December and is progressing as scheduled.
Analog broadcasting will end in July 2011. Having less than four years to go, MIC is now in the final stages of its approach.
In such a situation, building close cooperative relationships with associated bodies and businesses, such as local authorities, and approaching the issues in a comprehensive, well-planned manner, through such as promotion of improved relay stations, popularization of digital receivers, and strengthening of public relations, is indispensible for implementing a smooth termination of analog broadcasting and a perfect shift to digital broadcasting. MIC therefore decided to establish the General Headquarters for Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting.

2. Main activities
The headquarters will discuss the following items:
(1) Enforcement of policies concerning sender’s measures in digital terrestrial broadcasting
(2) Enforcement of policies concerning receiver’s measures in digital terrestrial broadcasting
(3) Comprehensive approach concerning digital terrestrial broadcasting, such as popularization and enlightenment activities for the viewers

3. Members
Head: Minister for International Affairs and Communications
Deputy Head: Senior Vice-Minister for International Affairs and Communications, Parliamentary Secretary for Internal Affairs and Communications
Assistant Chief: Vice-Minister, Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination
Members: Director-General of Minister’s Secretariat, Director-General for Policy Coordination, Director-General for Technology Policy Coordination, Director-General for Policy Planning (Information and Communications), Director-General of the Administrative Management Bureau, Director-General of the Administrative Evaluation Bureau, Director-General of the Local Administration Bureau, Director-General of the Local Public Finance Bureau, Director-General of the Local Tax Bureau, Director-General of the Information and Communications Policy Bureau, Director-General of the Telecommunications Bureau, Director-General of the Postal Services Policy Planning Bureau, Deputy Director-General of the Information and Communications Policy Bureau

4. Date of establishment
September 6, 2007 (The first meeting is to be held on the same day.)

For further information about this press release, please fill in the inquiry form and submit it to MIC on the website
http://www.soumu.go.jp/joho_tsusin/eng/contact.html