[10387] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Japan: "Ministry to Deregulate Multimedia Business"
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Max Morris)
Sun Feb 20 22:23:49 1994
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 10:44:38 JST
From: Max Morris <mgmorris@ocsys.flab.fujitsu.co.jp>
To: com-priv@psi.com
Reply-To: mgmorris@flab.fujitsu.co.jp
>From The Daily Yomiuri, 2/21/94, p. 1:
Ministry to Deregulate Multimedia Business
The Posts and Telecommunications Ministry is to conduct a
sweeping review of laws affecting cable television and
telecommunications in an attempt to lift restrictions and speed
development of communications and computer technologies and multimedia
enterprises.
Under current law, a company must obtain separate permits to
do business in communications and television broadcasting. The
ministry is considering creating a new classification of
"communications and broadcasting fusion undertakings," which would
require a single permit.
The sources said the ministry plans to submit the proposals to
the ordinary session of the Diet next year.
If the proposals become law, cable television, telephone, and
computer firms will be able to offer TV-owning homes a two-way
communications and television broadcasting service with a virtually
limitless base of data and images.
A ministry committee will consider the issue from next month,
ministry sources said Saturday. Similar changes to communications law
are under study in the United States.
The ministry has indicated that if Japan and the United States
can set up compatible regulations, they could open the way for the
development of multimedia businesses on a global scale covering Europe
and Asia. Compatible rules would also promote business tie-ups
between Japanese and U.S. firms.
But even if regulations can be made to mesh, the privacy of
communications may present a stumbling block. Communications firms
such as telphone service providers are currently required to maintain
the privacy of telephone conversations. But when the telephone is
linked with interactive software and television, as envisioned in
multimedia systems, it may be more difficult to clearly define
private, personal transactions.
Also at issue is whether the political neturality
traditionally imposed on television broadcasters should be applied to
multimedia enterprises.
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Max Morris (MIT Japan Program) ------ ,__o o o_/
Multimedia Systems Laboratory ------ _-\_<, </\_ /\_/
Fujitsu Laboratories, Ltd. ------ (_)/'(_) '\/\ /\
Kawasaki, Japan ------ /_ / |
mgmorris@flab.fujitsu.co.jp --------------------------------------------
------------------------------------- These are my opinions, not Fujitsu's.
