JETRO Invest Japan Report 2023
Chapter3. Recent Government Measures Section8. Innovative Information and Communication Technology Fund Project (Beyond 5G (6G) Promotion Fund Project)

Beyond 5G (6G) is expected to become the next generation of core information and communications infrastructure, serving as the foundation for all industrial and social activities across the borders. Based on the interim report "Information and Communications Technology Strategy Toward Beyond 5G" (June 2022) (hereinafter "Beyond 5G Interim Report") by the Information and Communications Council, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) created the Information and Communications Research and Development Fund in March 2023 to enable stable and efficient R&D support over multiple years in order to realize Beyond 5G (6G) and to strengthen Japan's international competitiveness.

The new Beyond 5G (6G) Promotion Fund Project, which will be implemented through this fund, aims to strengthen support for R&D aimed at social implementation and overseas deployment, focusing on technology fields in which Japan has strengths. The support will be provided for R&D for the establishment of elemental technologies and the creation of technology seeds that are addressed from a medium- to long-term perspective, as well as R&D of technologies that contribute to the effective use of radio waves, conducted by a company who has a strategy for social implementation and overseas deployment, and a will to commit its own resources, including investment.

Chart 3-8: Expected Programs for Beyond 5G (6G) Promotion Fund Project
Programs	Details
Social implementation and overseas expansion-oriented strategic programs	Programs mainly supporting R&D projects with strategies and commitments for social implementation and overseas expansion, focusing on technological fields in which Japan has strengths (Technologies related to (1) all-optical network (2) non-terrestrial network, and (3) secure virtualization and integrated network). As a general rule, it covers R&D that aims to achieve a certain level of technological maturity (TRL: Technology Readiness Level)* within a certain period of time. In principle, it is implemented as a subsidized project, and the subsidy rate is a maximum of 1/2 of the total project amount for the entire period, and the scale of support per project (government funding) is expected to be several billion yen per year. *TRL of approximately 6 within 4 years and TRL of approximately 7 within 5 years.
Elemental technology and seed-creating programs	Programs mainly targeting technologies that fall under TRL 1 to 3 at the time of project launch, and R&Ds which require a certain period of time until their social implementation and are addressed from a medium- to long-term perspective to establish elemental technologies and create technological seeds. Implementing on a commission basis, and the scale of support per project (government funding) is expected to be about 100 million yen/year (up to several hundred million yen).
R&D programs for effective radio wave use	Programs targeting R&D of technologies stipulated in Article 103-2, Paragraph 4, Item 3 of the Radio Law. Implemented on a commission basis, and the scale of support per project (government funding) is expected to be the same as the above two programs, depending on the scale of development.