[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 39 (Monday, September 28, 1998)]
[Pages 1862-1863]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Japan-United States Joint Statement on Cooperation in the Use of the 
Global Positioning System

September 22, 1998

    On the basis of a series of discussions between representatives and 
experts of the Government of the United States and the Government of 
Japan, U.S. President William Clinton and Japanese Prime Minister Keizo 
Obuchi have issued this Joint Statement regarding cooperation in the use 
of the Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Positioning Service for 
global positioning and other applications.

Background

    GPS is a constellation of orbiting satellites operated by the United 
States, which provides signals to aid position-location, navigation, and 
precision timing for civil and military purposes. GPS, as an evolving 
system, is becoming more important for a wide variety of civilian, 
commercial, and scientific applications such as car navigation, mapping 
and land surveying, maritime shipping, and international air traffic 
management.
    The United States Government is operating a maritime Differential 
Global Positioning System (DGPS), and the Government of Japan is 
operating a similar system. Both Governments are developing augmentation 
systems to support air navigation--the United States is developing the 
Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), and Japan is developing the Multi-
functional Transport Satellite (MTSAT)-based Satellite Augmentation 
System (MSAS).
    The commercial GPS equipment and services industries of the United 
States and Japan lead the world, and augmentation systems to enhance the 
use of the GPS Standard Positioning Service Could further expand civil, 
commercial, and scientific markets.

Building a Cooperative Relationship

    The United States Government intends to continue to provide the GPS 
Standard Positioning Service for peaceful civil, commercial, and 
scientific use on a continuous, worldwide basis, free of direct user 
fees.
    The Government of Japan intends to work closely with the United 
States to promote broad and effective use of the GPS Standard 
Positioning Service as a worldwide positioning, navigation, and timing 
standard. Both Governments are convinced of the need to prevent the 
misuse of GPS and its augmentation systems without unduly disrupting or 
degrading civilian uses, as well as of the need to prepare for emergency 
situations. Both Governments intend to cooperate to promote and 
facilitate civilian uses of GPS. It is anticipated that cooperation 
will:
<bullet>    promote compatibility of operating standards for GPS 
            technologies, equipment, and services;
<bullet>    help develop effective approaches toward providing adequate 
            radio frequency allocations for GPS and other radio 
            navigation systems;
<bullet>    identify potential barriers to the growth of commercial 
            applications of GPS and appropriate preventative measures;
<bullet>    encourage trade and investment in GPS equipment and services 
            as a means of enhancing the information infrastructure of 
            the Asia-Pacific region; and
<bullet>    facilitate exchange of information on GPS-related matters of 
            interest to both countries, such as enhancement of global 
            positioning, navigation, and timing technologies and 
            capabilities.
    The two Governments intend to work together as appropriate on GPS-
related issues that arise in the International Civil Aviation

[[Page 1863]]

Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the International 
Telecommunication Union, and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, or in 
other international organizations or meetings.

Cooperative Mechanism

    The Government of the United States and the Government of Japan have 
decided to establish a mechanism for bilateral cooperation relating to 
the use of the GPS Standard Positioning Service, as follows:
<bullet>    A plenary meeting will be held annually to review and 
            discuss matters of importance regarding the use of the GPS 
            Standard Positioning Service.
<bullet>    Working groups will be set up under the plenary meeting to 
            discuss issues of mutual interest. Discussions will focus 
            initially on commercial and scientific use and 
            transportation safety, including measures to identify and 
            report intentional and unintentional interference, the use 
            of the GPS Standard Positioning Service in emergency 
            situations, and an emergency notification system. Each 
            working group will annually report to the plenary meeting 
            the outcome of its work.
    The two Governments share the expectation that this mechanism will 
help the two Governments identify ways to deal with GPS-related issues 
that may arise as civilian use of GPS increases, and take actions as 
appropriate.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.