Association Guide
A word from the Chairman of the Board
Akira Shimada
Chairman of the Board
The Telecommunications Carriers Association was established in 1987 with the aim of contributing to the sound development of the telecommunications business and to improved convenience for the people by addressing common issues faced by telecommunications carriers.
The Japanese economy has been trending toward recovery, with the GDP exceeding 600 trillion yen last year. However, amid various challenges such as the shrinking and aging population, as well as increasing uncertainty caused by the recent decoupling and fragmentation in the global economy, it is essential to promote innovation, improve productivity, strengthen industrial competitiveness, and revitalize regional communities in order to achieve sustainable growth.
Toward these objectives, telecommunications carriers are expected to take various initiatives, such as upgrading networks and expanding their coverage through R&D and implementation of new technologies including Beyond 5G, as well as further promoting digital transformation (DX) through the development and utilization of AI.
On the other hand, in light of the increasing severity and frequency of natural disasters, such as last year's Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the extreme rainfall across the country, there is a growing need to further strengthen disaster preparedness, and to thoroughly reinforce measures against various issues, such as system failures and security risks, for the information and communications infrastructure that is so essential for both socio-economic activity and everyday life.
These are examples of how the roles of information and communications technology are rapidly expanding as a driving force for sustainable economic growth and as infrastructure supporting socio-economic activity and everyday life.
Given this, as well as our aim to fulfill our social responsibility as an organization consisting of telecommunications carriers playing central roles in the info-communications industry, the Telecommunications Carriers Association will implement initiatives to contribute to the sound development of telecommunications business, such as ensuring the safety and reliability of information and communication networks, in addition to contributing to consumer support, social contributions, and other areas. All members of the Telecommunications Carriers Association will continue to work as hard as we can, while competing with one another, towards the further growth of the info-communications industry, with our first priority being to improve convenience for the people of Japan, in this fiscal year as well.
In addition, we will strive to appropriately and smoothly implement the new universal broadband service support operations starting in FY2025, as well as the operations of a universal telecommunications service support institution and a telephone relay service support institution designated by the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications in accordance with the law.
June, 2025
