According to Kyodo News, the Japanese government officially accepted applications for spectrum licenses for 5G private network services on Tuesday. Japanese telecommunications giants such as NTT Docomo will start providing 5G services next spring, but it is expected that their service areas will initially mainly cover large cities.

By allowing local governments and businesses to build their own networks in rural areas, the Japanese central government expects local businesses to start using 5G networks soon. In rural areas, base station construction by major telecom operators may not be as fast.

In addition to mobile phone services, the Japanese municipal council is also expected to use 5G private networks in local areas to remotely control machines, cameras, and drones at farms and factories, such as using 5G services to monitor river levels in real time.

Eleven regional branches of the Ministry of Interior and Communications of Japan will accept applications for these licenses, and it is expected that it will take about one and a half months to review them.

In the Kanto region, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, NEC Group, Fujitsu, and cable service provider Jupiter Telecommunications all submitted applications on Tuesday.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to set up test facilities to help small companies and startups in Tokyo be able to use 5G networks to conduct business, and NTT East will use these services for its e-sports business.

The Ministry of Communications of Japan plans to expand the wireless spectrum resources available for 5G private networks in 2020, so that more companies can use 5G networks.