Japan was ranked fourth in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of competitiveness in the telecommunications sector, down from second a year earlier, according to an annual poll by the National University of Singapore released Tuesday.
Singapore was ranked the top telecommunications hub in the Asia-Pacific region, beating 12 other economies.
Singapore, which liberalized its telecommunications market last year, placed fourth in the previous poll after Australia, Hong Kong and Japan, with the latter two tied for second. This year, Hong Kong was second, Australia third and Japan fourth.
The state-run university's Center for Telemedia Strategy compiled the Asia-Pacific Telecommunications Index 2001 based on responses by 67 firms worldwide that use telecom services.