Two Japanese travel agencies announced today that they will follow the lead of JTB (the largest travel agency in Japan and possibly the largest travel company in the world) in refusing to issue tickets for December 31, 1999 - January 1, 2000 departures. Nippon Travel stated they were concerned about safety and had not received satisfactory answers to their concerns.

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Wednesday, July 28, 1999 Japan To Establish Center For Combating Y2K Glitches

TOKYO (Nikkei)--The Japanese government plans to set up a crisis management center as early as this week to help the nation cope with computer malfunctions related to the millennium bug. The organization will come under the direct supervision of Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.

The government believes a centralized system for crisis management is needed to back up preparations by companies and individuals because computers play such a significant role in the modern economy.

If computer breakdowns cause serious problems, the center will swing into action, gathering information and directing relevant government offices and local administrations to deal with the situation. It will also work to release information to the public to keep people from panicking.

Data on problems abroad will be collected as well. And because the new century will reach Japan before most other parts of the world, the center will provide major foreign countries with information on how Japan is coping.

Singled out for particularly close monitoring are the finance, energy, information/communications, transport and medical service sectors. The government believes preparations by firms in these fields are on schedule, but will still be ready for the worst.

(The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Wednesday morning edition)

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The government does not believe medical service sectors and transport are on schedule. This was written by a feeble-brained reporter who probably decided it should end on a happy note - regardless of accuracy.

The significance of this article is the responsible establishment of this center and the fact that it will headed by the prime minister. The government would not establish this center if the concensus of opinion was y2k will be a 'nonevent.'

-- PNG (Peter Gauthier) (png@gol.com), July 27, 1999

Answers

Peter,

It's great to read your words again. Hope you're doing well and my best wishes to you.

I've read so many reports from this side of Pacific regarding how Japan is supposed to be behind the US, Canada, and the UK and that the US is far ahead of the rest of the world.

This has always puzzled me.

If I'm correct in my belief, then the US is the largest and most dependent user of technology on the planet.

We have more interconnected, interdependent systems running everything from our financial systems to our waste disposal systems. In other words, our entire way of life is dependent upon technology that could be impacted by glitches. This doesn't even take into account the psycological aspects and what problems might occur in a populous so heavily reliant on technology not just to improve standard of living and quality of life but to maintain life itself.

I think some of our leaders are delusional. They look at the rest of the world, some of which has never had 100% reliable phone service, water service, electrical service, and they say that these countries will be hardest hit.

I look at this country and see a place where

 if the phones aren't 100% reliable for any extended period of time

 if faxes can't go through

 if e-mail can't be checked

 if pagers aren't working

 if cell phones are down

then business as it is done today is in a serious and dire situation. And, as you say, our Market current drives the rest of the worlds economy.

I guess what I'm asking is, do you think our leaders are a little nuts too?

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), July 27, 1999.

If transportation/logistics are NOT compliant as Japan knows them today, Japan will be TOAST come Jan.2000

-- George (jvilches@sminter.com.ar), July 27, 1999.

George,

I agree. But, this can be said for the US too. And, where would a failure in logistics and transportation leave Hawaii and Alaska?

How well will world corporations operate without reliable transportation? This stuff gets really scary when you think about it.

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), July 27, 1999.

Thanks Peter and good post Mike. It does make one wonder. Last night they showed fols at airports getting into fistfights with the gate attendants over late flights and missed connections. What will be the reaction of the public if the economy goes into depression and 50% of the airlines go broke? Or even a severe recession with 10% broke?

As Cory says -brrrr-

-- a (a@a.a), July 27, 1999.