WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative urged Japan in an annual report Thursday to rectify the "excessive" interconnection rates imposed by giant provider NTT DoCoMo Inc. on mobile networks.

The USTR also pressed Japan to lower fixed-line interconnection rates charged by the giant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. group and to prioritize frequency allocations to new wireless providers instead of NTT DoCoMo and other existing entities.

The report says U.S. trade negotiators will continue to urge the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry to "take a more active role in analyzing what a reasonable interconnection rate would be so as to provide NTT DoCoMo with a clearer long-term glidepath toward competitive levels."