The Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. group said Monday it will take firmer measures against the novel coronavirus pandemic by letting 70 percent or more of its employees work from home, up from the previous target of 50 percent or more.
The decision by the telecom giant, which has a domestic workforce of around 200,000 at parent and group firms including mobile carrier NTT Docomo Inc., will mostly affect workers in the divisions of general affairs and planning, it said.
Its rival KDDI Corp., operator of the "au" mobile phone service, will implement a similar measure starting Tuesday.
The moves come in response to the call by the government for firms to ensure at least 70 percent of employees work at home.
A state of emergency was fully lifted in the nation by late May, but recent upticks in infections in Tokyo and other large cities have fueled public fears about a possible second wave of the virus.
NTT said it would combine teleworking and employees' summer holidays to ensure that fewer people would be present at offices for the time being, and that it would limit gatherings by its employees, including dinners with their clients.