The heavy rains hit Tokyo and Kanto area from the morning throughout the day. A river running through hilly area on the west of Kanagawa prefecture had a sudden increase of water level and wiped out 18 people into water who were camping at a middle sandbank of river while many rescue workers were watching. 4 of them were rescued but the other 14 were missing. Almost the same accidents happened at nearby places and two people were missing. The accidents taught us how the menace of nature was terrible and merciless.

About Y2k problems, we have not been informed well by both governments and private companies. Although Obon holidays were said to be good time for testing renovated systems and programs, we never heard that the test of whole monetary system joined by all of banks and financial institutions, stock exchanges and stock brokers would be done in the holidays. According to TV reports, only a few companies are working on test run between the company and its related companies. I am afraid that non-scientific thinkings such as "time will solve problems" or "it might be all right as far as we do just like others do" are prevailing among company executives.

One of the most critical problems for people is the security of life line. The power supply is the most important. At the homepage of Tokyo power supply company, they say nothing about Y2k. In the U.S.A., companies are busy for installing their own power generators. People are trying to get small, inexpensive portable generators at their homes. We, in Japan, are not preparing for power black out. If power supply is stopped, we cannot get water. The communication equipments at our home such as telephone, TV and PCs will become useless. The foodstuffs in refrigerators will go off.

A few companies in U.S.A. are making positive efforts for informing their renovation of systems and programs to the public.

Left: top of Citibank homepage. Right: General Motors. Both of them has a button for Y2k.

Citibank started to renovate computer program since 1997 with the result that they finishided the renovation last year. They have been making system test from 1998. It is said an Indian computer genius has been appointed as a director on board for supervising the renovation. General Motors started to prepare themselves for Y2k in 1997. GM has a Master Service Agreement with EDS ( formerly owned by GM.) EDS is one of the most powerful computer soft development institutions in North America. With their help, GM has been making every effort to cover every detail of their system. One of GM's first priorities was the analysis of microprocessors used in GM vehicles. The review included not only current and planned models but the electronics in older vehicles manufactured during the last 15 years.

Both companies are doing PR activations just for reducing the anxieties of their customers. Even in the U.S.A., only limited number of companies are doing such an effort. In Europe, much less. Japan is not only one country which has been slow for readying Y2k. The further efforts are expected by banks or auto manufacturers in Japan for informing the public what they are doing.

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