
TOKYO -- With superfast fifth-generation wireless poised to transform the business world, Japanese companies are seeking partners in the telecom industry and elsewhere to make the most of the technology and avoid being left behind.
"5G will be basic infrastructure for industry in the 21st century," Communications Minister Masatoshi Ishida said Wednesday after the government approved investment plans by Japan's three top wireless companies and newcomer Rakuten. 5G will rival the bullet train and highway networks in importance, Ishida predicted.