STORY:
96,000 Japanese Troops Ready for Y2K

Japan Gears up for Y2K with huge defense force

Japan has been criticized for not preparing for Y2K. Now Japan has responded to that criticism in a big way, by putting thousands of troops on alert across the country. About 96,000 Self-Defense Forces staff will be on alert for two days beginning on New Year’s eve. They will be ready to deal with possible emergencies triggered by the Year 2000 computer glitches.

That’s not all, there will also be 100 aircraft, warships and special vehicles on standby, and several chemical warfare units will be deployed. The Defense Agency says they are simply trying to be prepared for all contingencies associated with Y2K.

This may seem like an over reaction, but Japan’s Prime Minister is having some political problems and he wants to be ready for anything. Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi made a nationwide television appeal telling people it is all under control he told the people he will be spending New Year’s Eve at the prime minister’s official residence in central Tokyo with some other ministers as a precaution. Obuchi’s popularity has fallen recently due in part to ruling coalition squabbles.

Japan seems to have taken these precautions in response to criticism for their sluggish response to past disasters like the Kobe earthquake of 1995, and a nuclear accident at a uranium processing plant in September.

The United States and Russia are also preparing for Y2K, but in a much different way. The defense specialists from both countries will sit together at a Colorado command center monitoring the effect of Y2K on nuclear forces. The two countries also want to prevent each from thinking the other has launched a nuclear strike.

Source: Associated Press

DATE: 12/7/99

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