KDDI, Softbank and Rakuten Mobile Reiterate Opposition to NTT Law Repeal, Say Unfair Competition May Result

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:41 JST, November 14, 2023

KDDI, SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile oppose the repeal of the law regulating the NTT Group, the three telecom companies reiterated Tuesday.

However, if the law were to be merely revised rather than abolished, they would view that positively, they said in a joint press release.

The NTT Group has argued that regulations should be integrated into the Telecommunications Business Law, which sets competition rules for the industry.

But the three countered that regulations under that law alone would be ineffective due to possible regulatory evasion and unfair competition.

The NTT law effectively prohibits the merger of NTT East and West with NTT Docomo, and restricts the range of business that group companies may engage in.