Japanese mobile operators SoftBank, NTT Docomo and KDDI have decided not to use Chinese equipment in their 5G networks due to rising security concerns that spurred the Japanese government to block Huawei and other Chinese companies from public procurement, Nikkei reports. E-commerce company Rakuten, which will become Japan's fourth mobile operator in 2019, also reports it has “no plans to use Chinese telecommunication equipment". Rakuten has selected Nokia products for its 4G network.
The Japanese government has agreed to ban Chinese telecom purchases by central government ministries and its Self-Defense Forces starting in April. "It's extremely important to avoid buying equipment that includes malicious functions like stealing or destroying information or halting information systems," said Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The US government has already banned Huawei and ZTE from the American 5G market, and has imposed sanctions on Chinese companies for their dealings with Iran. It will also bar companies that use products from certain Chinese companies from doing business with government agencies starting in 2020.
