China introduces mandatory face scans for customers who have been issued new phone numbers
As Beijing continues to tighten cyberspace controls, telecom operators will be required to collect face scans when registering new phone users at offline outlets starting Dec. 1, according to the country's information technology authority. In September, China's Industry and Information Technology Ministry issued a notice ...
Typhoon Hagibis highlights need for multilingual emergency alerts in Japan
Alerts in Japanese warning about the typhoon left many foreign visitors and residents confused about whether they should evacuate.
Japanese government to make it easier for budget smartphone providers to reduce call charges
The government will make it easier for budget smartphone providers to cut calling charges, based on a report released by a panel of experts Friday. In the report, the panel, set up by the communications ministry, asks the government to draw up guidelines to reduce ...
Japanese pagers to issue last beeps on Tuesday, ending 50-year run
Half a century after their debut, Japan's pager services will finally cease on Tuesday, bringing an end to what was once considered a must-have communications tool by high school girls before the advent of mobile phones. Tokyo Telemessage Inc., the nation's sole remaining pager provider, ...
Japan to require carriers to immediately unlock SIM cards for smartphones
The communications ministry reveals plans it will ask major mobile phone carriers to remove SIM locks immediately upon the request of customers.
New communications minister Sanae Takaichi backs 5G networks for Japan's rural areas
Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi has expressed her eagerness to promote active use of fifth-generation, or 5G, communications networks for rural areas. "I want to fully utilize the 5G technology ... in order for people to live safely and get high-quality welfare and ...
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz denied a media report that Israel had planted listening devices in Washington D.C. "Israel doesn't carry out any espionage operations in the U.S.," Katz said. "The U.S. and Israel share a large amount of intelligence information and work together to ...
SoftBank to abolish two-year binding mobile phone contracts in Japan
SoftBank Corp. said Friday that from next week it will stop giving its mobile phone users two-year contracts that offer discounts on monthly communication fees but impose substantial penalties for canceling early. The major mobile phone operator will start offering rate plans from Sept. 13 ...
Apple to open largest Japan outlet in Tokyo's Marunouchi business district
U.S. technology giant Apple Inc. is set to open its largest directly run Japanese outlet in the Marunouchi business district of Tokyo on Saturday. Media were invited to view the store on Thursday. Its sales floor space is larger than that of any of its ...
With changes to phone sales in Japan threatening its bottom line, Apple hits out at 'unfair' rules
Government-mandated changes to the discounts mobile carriers can offer on handset devices starting in October could put an end to Apple’s dominant market share.
Ministry urges Rakuten Mobile to speed up preparation of base stations ahead of Japan rollout
The communications ministry has instructed Rakuten Mobile Inc. to speed up its rollout of base stations, with the mobile operator slated to launch its service in Japan on Oct. 1, it was learned on Thursday. The oral instruction was issued on July 17. As of ...
