Japan leading the way to 6G broadcast standards across Asia-Pacific region

Japan’s advanced 5G infrastructure and strong 6G innovation pipeline is positioning the country to reshape broadcast delivery models and set next-generation standards across the Asia-Pacific region, according to GSMA Intelligence’s Digital Nations 2026: Accelerating the Digital Leap in Japan report.

APB+’s Shaun Lim spoke with Julian Gorman, Head of APAC, GSMA, on how these developments will transform content workflows and why broadcaster-telecom collaboration on spectrum strategy is critical for the 6G era.

Japan is accelerating its 5G standalone rollout as a pathway to 6G. How will this transition reshape broadcast delivery models, from live event coverage to immersive media, and what role can Japan play in setting Asia Pacific’s next-generation broadcast standards?

Gorman: Japan has strong digital foundations, with 5G population coverage exceeding 95% and over 302,000 base stations, more than half of which are standalone-capable. However, accelerating nationwide deployment is critical to fully unlock the low-latency, network-slicing capabilities that will underpin the next generation of content delivery.

The shift to 5G standalone marks a fundamental change in broadcast delivery models. It enables a move away from traditional, hardware-intensive production towards more flexible, IP-based and cloud-enabled workflows, including remote production, real-time content processing and more personalised viewing experiences. Dedicated network slices can support high-bandwidth, low-latency use cases such as live event coverage, immersive fan engagement, volumetric video and extended reality, fundamentally transforming how content is captured and distributed.

This transformation comes at a time of rapid growth in demand — mobile data traffic across Asia Pacific is expected to quadruple between 2023 and 2030, driven in large part by video and immersive media consumption, making scalable, high-performance infrastructure essential for broadcasters.

Japan is well positioned to lead in shaping next-generation broadcast standards across the region. Through initiatives such as Beyond 5G and NTT’s IOWN, as well as its active role in global standard-setting, Japan is helping define the frameworks for high-capacity, low-latency and energy-efficient networks. 

The Tokyo Accord reinforces this direction. Agreed at the Digital Nation Summit Tokyo by the GSMA, leading operators and 6G alliances, it represents a shared commitment to advance open, interoperable and trusted digital ecosystems that will underpin the 6G era and enable broadcasters and content providers to innovate and scale seamlessly across borders.

With Japan ranked third globally in 6G patent filings and pioneering Open RAN, how should broadcasters and telecom operators collaborate on spectrum strategy to ensure that future connectivity supports both commercial media innovation and public-service broadcasting across APAC?

Gorman: Japan has strong momentum in 6G innovation and Open RAN, creating new opportunities for closer collaboration between broadcasters and telecom operators. With around 10% of global 6G patent filings and deployments such as Rakuten Mobile’s nationwide Open RAN network, Japan is demonstrating how open, interoperable architectures can enable innovation at scale.

Platforms such as NTT Docomo’s OREX are further supporting this by providing environments to test and resolve interoperability challenges across the ecosystem.

This shift is significant for broadcasters. Open network architectures make it easier to move beyond over-the-top delivery models and collaborate more directly at the network level, enabling more integrated, efficient and scalable approaches to media production and distribution. 

Spectrum strategy will be central to enabling this future. The transition to 6G will require between 2 and 3 GHz of mid-band spectrum per operator by 2035 to 2040, with particular focus on upper mid-band frequencies such as 6 to 8 GHz ahead of WRC-27. Early engagement from broadcasters is essential to ensure that spectrum policies support not only mobile broadband, but also high-quality media distribution, contribution links and public-service broadcasting.

Japan’s evolving approach to spectrum allocation, including conditional auction models that prioritise investment, innovation and service outcomes alongside price, offers a useful framework for incorporating broadcast and media requirements into future policy decisions.

International coordination will also be critical. Through engagement in forums such as the G7, ASEAN and the EU-Japan Digital Partnership, Japan is helping to support greater alignment on standards and spectrum use across markets.

For broadcasters operating across Asia Pacific, this kind of harmonisation will be essential to ensure interoperability and avoid fragmentation in next-generation media services.

Ultimately, Japan’s opportunity lies in translating its technical strengths into broader ecosystem leadership — through collaboration, interoperability and shared standards that support both commercial innovation and public-service outcomes across the region.