Japan government applies fresh pressure on telecom carriers to cut charges

Japan’s government is hoping mobile phone firms will “actively” consider ways to cut carrier charges, its top spokesman said, stepping up pressure on the sector to meet Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s aim of boosting households’ purchasing power.
Cutting carrier fees has been among Suga’s policy priorities since becoming prime minister last month, as he looks to clip the wings of a highly-protected industry and encourage more competition.
“There’s room to cut carrier fees further,” Chief Cabinet Sectretary Katsunobu Kato told a regular news conference on Wednesday, adding he hopes carriers will “actively come up with ways to do so.”
The remarks came after the Nikkei newspaper reported that SoftBank Corp is considering a new mobile plan offering lower cellphone charges.