Call signs in Japan

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Call signs in Japan are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting.

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Call sign blocks for telecommunication

The International Telecommunication Union has assigned Japan the following call sign blocks for all radio communication, broadcasting or transmission: [1]

International Telecommunication Union Specialised agency of the United Nations

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), originally the International Telegraph Union, is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is responsible for issues that concern information and communication technologies. It is the second oldest international organization after the Rhine Navigation Commission (1815).

Call sign block
JAA–JSZ
7JA–7NZ
8JA–8NZ

While not directly related to call signs, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) further has divided all countries assigned amateur radio prefixes into three regions; Japan is located in ITU Region 3. The ITU and CQ Magazine have divided these regions into zones. The main islands of Japan are in ITU Zone 45 and CQ Zone 25. Outlying islands can have differing zones, see the following table:

<i>CQ Amateur Radio</i> CQ Amateur Radio is a magazine for amateur radio enthusiasts first published in 1945.

CQ Amateur Radio is a magazine for amateur radio enthusiasts first published in 1945. The English language edition is read worldwide; Spanish language edition is published in Spain with some translations of articles from the English language edition and some original European content. The magazine was also published in France with partial translation of the original edition between 1995 and 2000.

Island(s)ITU ZoneCQ Zone
main islands and Okinawa [2] [3] 4525
Ogasawara Islands [2] [4] 4527
Okino Torishima [2] [4] 4527
Minami Torishima [4] [5] 9027

Amateur radio callsign areas

In Japan, amateur radio (ham radio) licensing of operators is regulated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC, 総務省 Sōmu-shō) with the Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL, 日本アマチュア無線連盟) acting as a national amateur radio organization. [6] The IARU cites a year 2000 count of licensed ham operators at 1,296,059, out of a total population of 126,925,843. [7] [8] The MIC publishes data showing 446,602 licensed stations as of October 2011. [9]

Japan Island country in East Asia

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asian continent and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea in the south.

Amateur radio use of designated radio frequency spectra for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages

Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communication. The term "amateur" is used to specify "a duly authorised person interested in radioelectric practice with a purely personal aim and without pecuniary interest;" and to differentiate it from commercial broadcasting, public safety, or professional two-way radio services.

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications ministry of Japan

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is a cabinet-level ministry in the Government of Japan. Its English name was Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications (MPHPT) prior to 2004. It is housed in the 2nd Building of the Central Common Government Office at 2-1-2 Kasumigaseki in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.

Amateur radio call signs are assigned based on the area of residence, with the country divided into 10 areas as follows (listed from Northeast to Southwest): [10]

Callsign areas of Japan Japan callsign areas.svg
Callsign areas of Japan
call areasregionprefixesnumber of stations [9]
8 Hokkaido 北海道JA8–JS8, 7J8, 8J8–8N840,476
7 Tohoku 東北JA7–JS7, 7J7, 8J7–8N743,975
0 Shin'etsu 信越JA0–JS0, 7J0, 8J0–8N018,771
1 Kanto 関東JA1–JS1, 7J1, 8J1–8N1, 7K1–7N4123,739
2 Tokai 東海JA2–JS2, 7J2, 8J2–8N261,205
3 Kinki 近畿JA3–JS3, 7J3, 8J3–8N354,023
9 Hokuriku 北陸JA9–JS9, 7J9, 8J9–8N912,067
4 Chugoku 中国JA4–JS4, 7J4, 8J4–8N430,464
5 Shikoku 四国JA5–JS5, 7J5, 8J5–8N519,794
6 Kyushu and Okinawa 九州・沖縄JA6–JS6, 7J6, 8J6–8N6Kyushu: 39,512; Okinawa: 2,576

Outlying regions use a subset of the allocated prefixes: [11]

regionprefix
Okinawa 沖縄JR6, JS6
Ogasawara 小笠原JD1

Most call signs are of the "2x3" format (2 letters, a digit, and 3 letters). There are some special-event and "old-timer" calls that are "2x2", and a small number of "2x1" calls for special events and other special purposes. [12]

Related Research Articles

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is an international confederation of national amateur radio organisations that allows a forum for common matters of concern and collectively represents matters to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Following an informal meeting in 1924 of representatives from France, Great Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Canada, and the United States, a plan was formulated to hold an International Amateur Congress in Paris, France in April 1925. This Congress was held for the purpose of founding an international amateur radio organization. The Congress was attended by representatives of 23 countries in Europe, Americas, and Asia. A constitution for the IARU was adopted on April 17, and the formation of the International Amateur Radio Union was ratified on April 18, 1925. In the current era, this is the date on which the Amateur Radio Day is celebrated.

The Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Japan. JARL was founded in 1926 by Japanese radio communication enthusiasts whose stated aim was to promote the development and utilization of radio wave technology as a medium. JARL says its current membership comprises the largest number of radio stations in the world, and credits its growth to "the devoted efforts of pioneering hams, who took the history of amateur radio to heart and guided it through the changing and challenging winds of technology and radio regulations". JARL is the national member society representing Japan in the International Amateur Radio Union.

Call signs in New Zealand are no longer generally used to identify broadcast stations. However, New Zealand's radio stations were once known by their call signs and would usually broadcast their call signs as a number followed by X, Y, or Z, and another letter. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU and nationally by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), formerly the Ministry of Economic Development. The ministry is also responsible for providing policy advice to Government on the allocation of New Zealand's radio spectrum to support, efficient, reliable and responsive wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure.

Call signs in India are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting in India. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology regulates call signs nationally, and the International Telecommunication Union regulates call signs internationally.

Amateur radio in India

Amateur radio or ham radio is practised by more than 16,000 licensed users in India. The first amateur radio operator was licensed in 1921, and by the mid-1930s, there were around 20 amateur radio operators in India. Amateur radio operators played an important part in the Indian independence movement with the establishment of illegal pro-independence radio stations in the 1940s. The three decades after India's independence saw only slow growth in the numbers of operators until the then Prime Minister of India and amateur radio operator, Rajiv Gandhi (VU2RG), waived the import duty on wireless equipment in 1984. Since then, numbers have picked up, and as of 2007, there were more than 16,000 operators in the country. Amateur radio operators have played a vital role during disasters and national emergencies such as earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, floods, and bomb blasts, by providing voluntary emergency communications in the affected areas.

Call signs in Australia are allocated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority and are unique for each broadcast station. The use of callsigns on-air in both radio and television in Australia is optional, so many stations used other on-air identifications. Australian broadcast stations officially have the prefix VL- and originally all callsigns used that format, but since Australia has no nearby neighbours, this prefix is no longer used except in an international context.

Call signs in the Middle East are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting in the Middle East. Call signs are regulated internationally by the International Telegraph Union (ITU) and nationally by local government and international agencies in Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, The Palestinian Authority, occupied territories and other nations or DXCC entities.

Call signs in Argentina are unique identifiers for communication. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by the Comisión Nacional de Comunicaciones of the Argentine government.

Call signs in Russia are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation. The latter is responsible for providing policy on the allocation of Russia's radio spectrum to support efficient, reliable and responsive wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure.

Call signs in Mexico are unique identifiers for telecommunications, radio communication, radio broadcasting and transmission. They are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally by the Federal Telecommunications Institute, which regulates broadcast stations, wireless telecommunications and spectrum use.

Call signs in Korea are unique identifiers for telecommunications and broadcasting on the Korean peninsula. Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU as well as nationally in South Korea by the Korea Communications Commission in the Ministry of Information and Communication. Not much is known outside of North Korea how amateur radio is regulated, although a foreign amateur was asked to appear before the "Radio Regulation Board" in 2002. Also, North Korea's Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries recently issued an operating permit, which was countermanded by the Ministry of Telecommunications and Posts.

Call signs in Asia are rarely used to identify broadcast stations. In most Asian countries, broadcast stations use other forms of identification. Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan are exceptions to this rule. Amateur radio stations in India, Pakistan, Korea and Japan are allocated call-signs.

Call signs in Europe are codes consisting of a three letter country code and a series of letters and numbers, used as unique identifiers for broadcasting and telecommunications. These are not designated formally to all broadcast stations in Europe like they are in other parts of the world, but some broadcasters have developed their own makeshift call signs. It is quite common that instead of regular call signs abbreviations of the stations' names are used. In most of Europe, TV and radio stations have unique names, such as ProSieben in Germany, France 2 in France, Nova Television in Bulgaria, Antena 3 in Spain, etc.

Call signs in Oceania are currently voluntary in Australia radio and TV station, and were previously compulsory in New Zealand. In both countries, stations like 2GB and Newstalk ZB continue to use parts of the call signs in their branding.

Call signs in Canada are official identifiers issued to the country's radio and television stations. Assignments for broadcasting stations are made by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), while amateur stations receive their call signs from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Conventional radio and television broadcasting stations assignments are generally three, four or five letters long and almost exclusively use "C" call signs; with a few exceptions noted below, the "V" codes are restricted to specialized uses such as amateur radio.

Call signs in Antarctica include a three letter region code and a series of numbers and letters.

Call signs in Barbados include a three letter country code, and a series of letters and numbers.

Call signs in United Kingdom include a three letter country code, and a series of letters and numbers.

References

  1. ↑ "Appendix 42: Table of Allocation of International Call Sign Series". International Telecommunication Union. 2007-08-16. Archived from the original on 2004-01-22. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  2. 1 2 3 "ITU Zone 45 Map" . Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  3. ↑ "CQ Zone 25 Map" . Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  4. 1 2 3 "CQ Zone 27 Map" . Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  5. ↑ "ITU Zone 90 Map" . Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  6. ↑ "Outline of Amateur Radio License in Japan". Japan Amateur Radio League . Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  7. ↑ "Status Summary of Radio Amateurs & Amateur Stations of the World". International Amateur Radio Union. Archived from the original on 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2011-12-01.
  8. ↑ "Population Census". Japan Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications . Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  9. 1 2 "無線局統計情報" [Radio Station Statistics] (in Japanese). Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. October 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  10. ↑ "Japan ham radio districts map" . Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  11. ↑ "Japan Ham Radio Prefectures Map" . Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  12. ↑ Motobayashi (JJ1WTL), Ryota "Roy"; Fukuda (JG1VGX), Rimmei "Rin" (2018-07-11). "Enigma of Japanese Call Sign System". www.motobayashi.net. Ryota "Roy" Motobayashi (JJ1WTL). Retrieved 2018-08-18.
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