TOKYO (01/02/2000) - Japan's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) reported late today that the nation's information-communications industry has so far been hit by four problems that been confirmed to be Year 2000 related.
In all cases, the problems have been resolved, said the ministry.
In the telecommunications sector, three problems were reported so far.
At two minutes past midnight on Jan. 1, Osaka Media Port, a regional telecommunications carrier in the Osaka region, found errors in the date management part of the company's network observation system. The problem was fixed by 2:43 a.m. and no services were affected, said the MPT.
NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc. (NTT DoCoMo), the country's largest cellular operator, reported on Jan. 1 a problem users were encountering with some models of mobile telephone. In the case that too many short messages are received, the telephones start by deleting those received on Jan. 1 rather than older messages. NTT DoCoMo is advising users to clear their message memories of old messages.
The final telecommunications sector problem linked to Y2K as of the report was with a fax-based information system provided by Recruit Co. Ltd. The system encountered problems in the early hours of the new year and a check discovered an obstacle to year-data processing. The system was fixed and running as of 4:28 p.m. on Jan. 1.
In the broadcasting sector, a single Y2K problem was reported. Tohaku Usen Hoso, which operates a cable-radio system in Tohaku town, Tottori prefecture, was unable to transmit agri-meteorological information due to unspecified Y2K-related problems. The system was returned to normal at 2:10 a.m.
The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, in Tokyo, can be found at http://www.mpt.go.jp .