The Enigma of Japanese Call Sign System


[ General ]   [ Prefix ]   [ Suffix ]   [ Special Operation ]   [ 7J-8N ]   [ Designator ]   [ Official Criteria ]   ( callsign.jp )

Rimmei "Rin" Fukuda, JG1VGX / M0CFF / N1MH, the writer of the original version
Ryota "Roy" Motobayashi, JJ1WTL / AC6IM

  1. JA Call Sign Rules — Summary
  2.  Area 2-5, 7-0Area 6Area 1
    MainlandOkinawaMainlandOgasawara
    DXCC Entity JA-JS Japan JD1
    Minamitorishima I.
    JD1
    Iwo Is.,
    Ogasawara Is.
    Individuals JA#AA-ZZ
    J[A,E-S]#AAA-XZZ
    JA6AA-ZZ
    J[A,E-Q]6AAA-XZZ

    JR6AAA-QQZ
    JR6AA-NZ


    JR6QUA-XZZ
    JS6AAA-XZZ
    JA1AA-ZZ
    J[A,E-S]1AAA-XZZ

    7[K-N]1AAA-XZZ
    7[K-N]2AAA-XZZ
    7[K-N]3AAA-XZZ
    7[K-N]4AAA-XZZ

    JD1AAA-XZZ
    Clubs J[A,E-O,Q-S]#YAA-ZZZ J[A,E-O]6YAA-ZZZ J[R,S]6YAA-ZZZ J[A,E-O,Q-S]1YAA-ZZZ JD1YAA-ZZZ
    Repeaters JR#WA-WZ, VA-VZ
    JP#YAA-YZZ
    JR6WA-WZ, VA-VZ
    JP6YAA-YZZ
    JR6YA-YZ
    JQ6YAA-YZZ
    JR1WA-WZ, VA-VZ
    JP1YAA-YZZ
    Remote Controllers
    for Repeaters
    JP#ZAA-ZZZ JP6ZAA-ZZZ JQ6ZAA-ZZZ JP1ZAA-ZZZ
    Foreigners
    (First Licensed 1985-1999)
    7J[2,3]AAA-CZZ
    7J[4,5,7-0]AAA-BZZ
    7J6AAA-BZZ 7J6CAA-CZZ 7J1AAA-DZZ
    Foreigners' Clubs
    (First Licensed 1993-1999)
    7J#YAA-YMZ 7J6YAA-YMZ 7J6YNA-YQZ 7J1YAA-YMZ
    Special Event Stations, and
    ARISS School Contact Stations
    8J#$, 8J#*$, 8J#**$, 8J#***$, 8J#****$;
    8N#$, 8N#*$, 8N#**$, 8N#***$, 8N#****$

    Exceptions:
    - Antarctica: 8J1RL, 8J1RF
    - Satellites: 8J1JBS, 8J1JCS
    JARL Stations JA#RL
    JA[2,3,5,7,9]YRL
    JH4YRL
    JH8ZRL
    JR0ZAX
    JA6RL
    JH6ZRL
    JR6RL JA1RL
    JA1YRL
    JA1YAA

  3. Tips
  4. PREFIXES

    SUFFIXES

    DESIGNATORS

    • /JI#—Island Expedition
    • /SO2005—Commemorating Special Olympics

    But the below will take you tons of exceptions!

  5. Regulatory Bases
  6. Each Japanese amateur call sign has a two-letter prefix and two- or three-letter suffix, separated by a numeral(1-0) indicating the geographic region (1-0, Okinawa, Ogasawara). "Somusho," or "Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)" — the FCC equivalent — maintains Japan's call sign system in "Assignment Criteria of Identification Signals," in "Radio Law Related Screening Criteria," defined by MIC for their internal use as Instruction No. 67, Jan. 2001.

    Radio Law Related Screening Criteria
    (Not Internet available but sold)
    Appendix 3 in it:
    Assignment Criteria of Identification Signals

  7. Assignment Systems (Comparing with the US)
  8. No Vanity Call Signs

    Currently we cannot reserve any 'wished' call sign (vanity) for either an individual or a club station, although it had been allowed in some cases in the past (very early years).

    However, special call signs for special event stations are available on request. (e.g. 8J1HAM for the event station at Tokyo Ham Fair in our past.)

  9. Regions and Numerals
  10. The figure below represents the location and the population of each call area.


    Call Areas and Populations

    This tells you how easy to make contacts with some areas and how difficult to do with the others (e.g. Area 9). Area 1 is the most densely populated area. It is amazing nearly one third of people are there. The real number of amateur stations in each area is as follows:

    Number of Amateur Stations in Each Call Area
    Total 474,339 Stations as of Dec. 31, 2009
    DistrictNumber of
    Amateur Stations
    Call sign Reissue
    1Kanto129,298Yes, Twice
    2Tokai64,938Yes
    3Kinki56,674Yes
    4Chugoku33,467 
    5Shikoku20,874 
    6Kyushu42,725Yes
    7Tohoku47,231 
    8Hokkaido43,147 
    9Hokuriku13,039 
    0Shin'etsu20,207 
    JR6Okinawa2,623 
    JD1Ogasawara116 
    Source: http://www.tele.soumu.go.jp/j/musen/index.htm

    Population and major cities are HERE for those interested.

  11. Area Definition Changes in Our Past — Birth of Area 0 and 9
  12. From 1952 — when amateurs re-opened in Japan — to 1954, JA0 and JA9 didn't exist. Instead of that, JA1WA-ZZ, JA1WAA-ZZZ and JA2WA-ZZ, JA2WAA-ZZZ were allocated to these areas respectively. But the authority changed their mind to establish Area 0 and 9 at last, on Nov. 27, 1954:

    Transition from JA1W and JA2W to JA0 and JA9
    Year \ DistrictShin'etsuHokuriku
    AllocatedIssued AllocatedIssued
    as Provisional Licenseas License as Provisional Licenseas License
    1952 
    JA1WA-ZZ,
    JA1WAA-ZZZ
    JA1WA-ZZ,
    JA1WAA-WAF
    JA1WA-ZZ,
    JA1WAA-WAF
    JA2WA-ZZ,
    JA2WAA-ZZZ
    JA2WA-ZZ,
    JA2WAA-WAF
    JA2WA-ZS

    :
    :
    1954
    JA0 JA9
    :
    :

    Existing JA1WA-ZZ, JA1WAA-WAF and JA2WA-ZS were permitted to change to JA0AA-DZ, JA0EA-EF and JA9AA-DS respectively.

    After that, vacated JA1WA-ZZ, WAA-WAF and JA2WA-ZS were recycled in the current first and second call areas as follows:

    Consequently current JA1WA-ZZ stations are at least four years younger than the other two-letter suffix stations in Kanto (i.e. JA1AA-VZ, licensed 1952-54), and in addition, younger than the beginning part of JA1AAAs. When JA1WA-ZZ was re-issued — the authority gave them to applicans after January 1, 1958 — the three-letter suffix call signs had issued at least as JA1B$$ already in the first (Kanto) area. On the other hand, in the second (Tokai) area, still JA2M$s were issued when JA9 was defined.

  13. Area Border Changes in Our Past
  14. We had four merging of municipalities which crossed the call area borders and occurred slight midifications of them.

    In the case of Fukuura-area, one station had to change his call sign from JA4BVQ to JA3JRP, about two years after the merger. Yamaguchi-village's case is as follows.

    Former Yamaguchi-village

    On Feb. 13, 2005, Yamaguchi-mura (or -village), in JCG#09004 Kiso-gun, Nagano-pref. was merged with Nakatsugawa-city (JCC#1906), Gifu-pref. across the call area border from Area 0 to Area 2. But for 29 hams in this area, the authority permitted to maintain their original 0 area call signs.

    Each licensee was able to chose to change his/her call sign to a new one of Area 2, or not. In consequence, twenty hams kept their original 0 call signs, while nine hams switched their call signs to new ones as JQ2PIN-PIV.

    Survived "0" Call Signs into Area 2 — 20 Licensees
    JARL Member? Operating HF? Call Signs
    Yes Yes JA0DTF, JA0GQP, JA0QWO
    No JE0GEX, ex-JH0CBL, JJ0JXI, ex-JR0SRS
    No,
    V,UHF Only
    JE0JED, JF0VKE, ex-JG0EHF, JG0SIA, ex-JG0SIB,
    JH0JIA, JI0JFZ, ex-JJ0EYM, JJ0GGQ, JJ0GGR,
    JJ0GGT, JJ0GIC, JR0CZK


    Newly Assigned "2" Area Call Signs — 9 Licensees
    From

    To
    JG0LOX

    JQ2PIT
    JJ0BRW

    JQ2PIV
    JJ0GGP

    JQ2PIN
    JJ0GGS

    JQ2PIO
    JJ0GIF

    JQ2PIP
    JJ0JYI

    JQ2PIQ
    JJ0KPL

    JQ2PIR
    JJ0LIA

    JQ2PIU
    JJ0LNK

    JQ2PIS

  15. Operator Licence Classes — No Relations to Call Sign
  16. There are four operator licence classes in JA, but no relations between a call sign and them. Instead of using the call sign formats for the classification, each station's licensed maximum output power and bands are disclosed by the Administration here: http://www.tele.soumu.go.jp/menkyo/SearchServlet?pageID=0 in Japanese language, except licensee's name and his/her street address.

    Search example: JJ1WTL

    Operator License Classes
    Class 4th 3rd 2nd 1st
    # of Licensees
    (as of Mar. 31, 2010)
    3,002,920 195,122 75,229 26,683
    Increments in FY2009
    (i.e. Apr., 2009 - Mar., 2010)
    13,388
    (real new comers)
    6,577
    (almost upgraded)
    383
    (almost upgraded)
    618
    (almost upgraded)
    Maximum Output Power
    (See details below)
    10W
    20W (50-430MHz)
    50W 200W 1kW
    Mode Phone / Digital ××××
    CW  ×××
    Band & Power      FixedMobile
    (even Fixed Portable)
    FixedMobile
    (even Fixed Portable)
    135k 10W
    (EIRP 1W)
    50W
    (EIRP 1W)
    200W
    (EIRP 1W)
    50W
    (EIRP 1W)
    200W
    (EIRP 1W)
    50W
    (EIRP 1W)
    1.9M, 3.5M, 3.8M, 7M 10W50W200W50W1kW50W
    10M, 14M   200W50W1kW50W
    18M  50W200W50W1kW50W
    21M, 24M, 28M 10W50W200W50W1kW50W
    50M 20W50W200W50W500W
    (DX 1kW)
    50W
    144M, 430M 20W50W50W
    (EME 200W)
    50W50W
    (EME 500W)
    50W
    1200M 10W
    (1W apart from station address)
    10W
    (1W apart from station address)
    10W
    (EME 200W)
    10W
    (1W apart from station address)
    10W
    (EME 500W)
    10W
    (1W apart from station address)
    2400M 2W2W2W
    (EME 100W)
    2W2W
    (EME 100W)
    2W
    5600M, 10.1G, 10.4G, 24G 2W2W2W2W
    47G, 77G, 135G 0.2W0.2W0.2W0.2W
    249G No written explicit regulation exists, but seems to be licensed as 0.1W

    i.e. We have about

    Of course, the nomal upgrade path is 4th → 3rd → 2nd → 1st. (As you can imagine, in this case, he/she is counted as "4 licensees" in the above table.) On the other hand, some professional radio licensees can establish a ham radio station without any of these four amateur classes.

    Allocated bands in Japan are HERE for those interested.

    Code Test

    We still have a Morse code test for the 3rd grade and higher. But it gradually became easy:

    Transition of JA's Morse Code Test (and Classes)
    Elements
    \
    Effective on
    Japanese English (No Code)
    TXRXTXRXTXRXTXRX
    June 30, 1950
    (Radio Regulatory Commission
    Rules #6
    of June 30, 1950)
    1st   (Old) 2nd  
    50 CPM for 5 min. 60 CPM for 5 min. No Code
    Nov. 5, 1958
    (Ministerial Ordinance #28
    of Nov. 5, 1958)
    1st (New) 2nd Telegraph   Telephone
    45 CPM for 5 min. 25 CPM for 5 min. No Code
    Dec. 28, 1964
    (Ministerial Ordinance #27
    of Dec. 28, 1964)
    50 CPM for 3 min. 60 CPM for 3 min. 45 CPM for 2 min. 25 CPM for 1 min.
    Jan. 1, 1985
    (Ministerial Ordinance #50
    of Dec. 24, 1984)
     
    Nov. 18, 1988
    (Ministerial Ordinance #70
    of Nov. 18, 1988)
         
    May 1, 1990
    (Ministerial Ordinance #18
    of Mar. 31, 1990)
    1st (New) 2nd 3rd 4th
            25 CPM for 2 min. No Code
    Apr. 1, 1996
    (Ministerial Ordinance #75
    of Oct. 6, 1995)
     
    Oct. 1, 2005
    (Ministerial Ordinance #95
    of May 24, 2005)
    25 CPM for 2 min. 25 CPM for 2 min. (In the "regulation" test part*.)

    Where,
    - CPM = Character per Minute.
      (1 WPM = 5 CPM in English, or 1 WPM = 4 CPM in Japanese.)
    - *: 3rd Class Morse code test examples:
      (1) "How do you describe 7SENDAI using Morse code?" (followed by 4 pickings)
      (2) "If you want to stand-by immediately after your call, what brevity code should you transmit?" (followed by 4 pickings)

  17. Recycled Call Signs
  18. All patterns of the call sign recycling in Japan are as follows:

    All Patterns of the Call Sign Recycling
     FromTo
    JA#$$ Individuals/clubs in the Allied Occupation forces stationed in Japan,
    issued 1949-52
    (Changed to KA#$$)
    The Japanese after 1952
    Example — JA3AA
    Tom Rothwell in Nagoya, now K6ZTIsaji Shima in Osaka
    Some JA#RLs IndividualsJARL District Stations
    JA1WA-ZZ Individuals in current Area 0, issued 1952-54
    (changed to JA0AA-DZ)
    Individuals in current Area 1 in 1958
    JA1WAA-WAF Individuals in current Area 0, issued 1954-55
    (changed to JA0EA-EF)
    Individuals in current Area 1 in 1965
    JA2WA-ZS Individuals in current Area 9, issued 1952-54
    (changed to JA9AA-DS)
    Individuals in current Area 2 1957-58
    Some JA#IGYs Individuals Beacons
    JA1YAA Communication Museum JARL Museum in 1991
    Some JA#YRLs Clubs JARL Support Stations
    J[A,E-S]
    [1,2,3,6]
    [AAA-QQZ,QUA-XZZ]
    Individuals Individuals since 1985 in Area 1, 2, 3 and 6
    Example — JE1AAT

    issued in 1971
    issued in 1985
    issued in 2004
    JJ1WUC Son (SK) Father
    JQ1YGU Cube Sat "SEED" failed to launch in 2006 Cube Sat "SEED" launched in 2008


[ General ]   [ Prefix ]   [ Suffix ]   [ Special Operation ]   [ 7J-8N ]   [ Designator ]   [ Official Criteria ]   ( callsign.jp )
June 16, 2010, Ryota "Roy" Motobayashi, JJ1WTL