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]

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:

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]

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 Telecommunication Union (ITU) allocates call sign prefixes for radio and television stations of all types. They also form the basis for, but may not exactly match, aircraft registration identifiers. These prefixes are agreed upon internationally, and are a form of country code. A call sign can be any number of letters and numerals but each country must only use call signs that begin with the characters allocated for use in that country.

Telecommunications in Trinidad and Tobago include radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.

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 or ham radio is practised by more than 22,000 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 number 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 Telecommunication 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.

Amateur radio call signs in Africa are codes used to identify all radio communications, broadcasts and transmissions. The International Telecommunication Union assigns Africa as ITU region #1. It has assigned call signs prefix blocks to countries including 77 DXCC entities in and off-shore of Africa. Western Sahara is not a DXCC entity but uses SØ as a prefix.

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.

Amateur radio call signs are allocated to amateur radio operators around the world. The call signs are used to legally identify the station or operator, with some countries requiring the station call sign to always be used and others allowing the operator call sign instead.

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 International Telecommunication Union (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. Few countries west of the Pacific Ocean, namely 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 not formally used for broadcast stations.

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" calls 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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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