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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), July 30, 1999

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Japan Steps Up Crisis Management For Y2K Glitch

01:47 a.m. Jul 30, 1999 Eastern

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi established a crisis management commission Friday to deal with the possibility of emergencies arising from computer malfunctions triggered by the Y2K millennium bug.

``We must strengthen government crisis management around the New Year's period, as well as effectively provide information for citizens,'' Obuchi said.

This is Obuchi's latest effort to prepare the nation for Y2K computer malfunctions that could trigger disruptions when 1999 turns to 2000.

[snip]

In a similar move, the United States said Thursday it was setting up a command center to cope with any Y2K emergencies. Until now, both governments had focused on spurring software fixes and contingency planning at home and abroad.

One of the key roles of Obuchi's commission is to work out a framework to coordinate information gathering among central government ministries and local governments, as well as with the private sector, until and during the year-end holidays.

The commission, to be headed by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sadajiro Furukawa, will also coordinate with existing crisis management schemes in case the bug triggers a major disaster, officials said.

All major government ministries will be staffed during the year-end holidays to deal with potential emergencies and also to run computer tests on January 1, 2000.

``We would like to urge the private sector to do likewise, rather than wait until the start of business on January 4,'' said Tsutomu Miyagi, an official in charge of the government's Y2K advisory panel, a body established earlier.

In an effort to provide more practical information for the general public, the government has started accepting questions on the Y2K problem directly from the public and responding to them through the Internet.

Friday's announcement followed a government report released earlier by the advisory panel that warned medical facilities were making slow progress in addressing the Y2K issue.

But the advisory panel said Thursday that the nation's five key industries -- finance, transport, energy, telecoms and medicine -- had largely met their June target for running simulation tests.

Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), July 30, 1999.

Whoever said the Japanese had good management - LOL! Less than 100 working days left and they form a token committee... LOL if it wasn't so serious...

SUSHI

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), July 30, 1999.

It's not a token committee. It's a pretty damn good idea and a well-organized operation that's up and running - while the U.S. is still 'considering' doing the same thing.

This is a real possibilityJapan may pass the US in infrastructure preparedness by September. Hah! I love the irony of it. All those chest-pounding, "The rest of the world are idiots," people may be in for a little surprise.

Prime Minister Obuchi, who was cast by CNN as having the personality of 'cold pizza,' has accomplished some remarkable things lately - in a country with a political system that moves at glacial speed. He's squeezed Defense Secretary Cohen's gonads here yesterday, but the western press didn't report that.

Cohen tried to pressure the Japanese to buy a new satellite surveillance system from the U.S. The Prime Minister told him diplomatically to take a flying leap. Japan will design, build and launch their own, thank you very much.

Cohen tried to pressure the Japanese into coming up with a solution to the Okinawa - U.S. bases realignment before the G-8 summit - so Mr. Clinton could make the announcement. The Prime Minister told him diplomatically to take another flying leap. Japan will decide Japan's timetable, thank you very much.

Mr. "Cold Pizza" is pretty cool.

-- PNG (Peter Gauthier) (png@gol.com), July 30, 1999.

But PNG,

Italy, self-reporting it's compliance as "disastrous" - formed a "committee" several months ago, beating Japan by, what 3-4 months, what on earth does Japan expect to do with this initiative going in at this late stage of the game? Doesn't make sense to a - gaijin? Japan is a net importer of oil? Relies to the utmost on shipping... on exports... humungous banks that have not spent anywhere near what the USA and UK have spent in remediation costs per LOC... population density... the debt situation at rollover ALONE...

Doesn't look too good PNG.

SOGGY SUSHI

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), July 30, 1999.