TOKYO (ANN/THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN) – The Japanese government is envisioning establishing a robust infrastructure using streetlights to ensure stable utilisation of high-speed, high-capacity 5G technology in the city, as revealed at a meeting of experts.
The Tokyo metropolitan government is gearing up to unveil fundamental details about approximately 60,000 streetlights along metropolitan roads by fiscal 2025.
The objective is to repurpose them into cell phone base stations, offering crucial data like location, height, and installation year.
The government has been advocating for strengthening 5G and other communication infrastructure so it can be used in the event of a disaster and to make everyday life more convenient.
Generally, cell phone companies select possible sites for base stations based on such factors as communication conditions and the height of various locations before beginning negotiations with landowners and facility owners regarding installation.
Currently, information on only 67 streetlights on metropolitan roads has been disclosed, and there are no plans to install more streetlights.
The metropolitan government believes that disclosing such information will make it easier for cell phone companies to study possible locations for base stations, leading to them being installed more quickly.
The government plans to examine the information that will be released in cooperation with cell phone companies in fiscal 2024.
It will also establish rules to facilitate the smooth installation of base stations.
