Understanding the Japanese Broadband Miracle

According to OECD data compiled by ITIF, Japan is the world’s leader in broadband, with over 75 percent of homes (in NTT East territory) able to subscribe to 100 mbs fiber-to-the-home at very reasonable rates.

In order to better understand this Japanese “broadband miracle,” ITIF hosted a breakfast forum featuring Takashi Ebihara. Mr. Ebihara is a Senior Director of the Corporate Strategy Department at NTT East Corporation, the largest local telecommunications provider in Japan. He concurrently holds a Visiting Fellowship at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, DC. As a leading technology strategist, Mr. Ebihara has been involved in NTT’s Next Generation Network initiatives for the last couple of years. His current strategic interests include innovative broadband services and enabling technologies as well as the policy implications of broadband development in the U.S. and Japan. Mr. Ebihara discussed the current state of broadband deployment in Japan, the factors that have contributed to their world leadership, and the implications of such robust deployment on Japanese society.