Japanese Internet Service Providers FAQ file -------------------------------------------- Last Modified: 94-6-30 The main focus of this list is to help individuals seeking Internet E-Mail and Usenet news access in Japan. In particular, to help them know (I hope all) the service providers there are, narrow down to a target list and make contact with or without E-mail. For completeness, services for the "big boys" (commercial organisations with a deep pocket for leased lines) are also briefly provided. Caveat Emptor: The state of Japan commercial Internet connectivity is in a state of flux now. With the honourable exceptions of Aegis and TWICS, virtually all the listed services are very new and some fall into the category of "Real Soon Now". I have tried to flag the latter but .... Information is provided on an "AS IS" basis and makes no claim to correctness. Please use it at your own risk. Data are summarized where possible from provider information files but are *not* actively corroborated with them. Corrections and any new information about any sort of openly available or commercial Internet connectivity service are welcome, please use E-mail if possible. I will maintain this at least into July when I move to the Philippines. Mike Collinson E-mail: mike@uxp.bs2.mt.nec.co.jp Fax: +81-3-3456-6675 Mail: NEC Corporation, Daito Tamachi Building, 14-22 Shibaura 4-Chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108, JAPAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Format: #Access Provider: Last updated: Age of information Services/cost: Basic List of services provided and indication of cost POS: Point(s) of Service (national/local extent, telephone numbers) "Verified" after a telephone number shows that a login could be made. How to Contact: Modem, e-mail, phone, fax, mail The intent is to provide e-mail address where available and at least one method for those without current e-mail access. All phone numbers are for Japan except where noted. To dial from abroad, drop the leading "0" and prefix the Japan "81" country code along with your international access code. Interface: Language of of any on-line menu interface Notes: Miscellaneous items and comments TO DO: - Put in standard FAQ format - Replace "??" place-holders with real information - Your inputs please! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #Access Provider: Aegis Last update: 94-Jun-10 Services/cost: UUCP as a not-for-profit society. Three dial-in lines: 14,400, 14,400, 9,600 with PEP. "20,000 yen/year for USENET + mail within Japan (*.jp) and to BITNET (*.bitnet). Mail to all other addresses is 20 yen/K in both directions." POS: Kansai Tel nos: 075-954-0118 14,400 075-957-5174 14,400 075-954-4749 9,600 and PEP Contact: David G. McLane - Tel: 075-951-1168 Fax: 075-957-1087 Minami Hirao 1-6, Imazato, Nagaokakyoshi, Kyotofu 617 - E-Mail: davidg@aegis.or.jp | davidg@aegis.org #Access Provider: AppleLink, Apple Last update: 94-Jun-22 Services/cost: Internet email can be gatewayed to Applelink users. [ Here is some sketchy information as a placeholder ] "Although they don't have a PC9800 or Windows client, they certainly provide as much Internet access as AT&T, as well as many other things of interest to Mac owners." POS: Access numbers in several cities, including Tokyo and Sendai. Contact: ?? Indirectly, start with Apple Japan. You can also use a US AppleLink account here. #Access Provider: ASCII-NET, ASCII Corporation Services/cost: This is the third largest PC Information Service provider after PC-VAN and Nifty-Serve. According to one user who is going to sign up with them: "You can use telnet, ftp, whois, finger at ASCII-NET now. 3000 yen for setup, 2000 yen upto 5 hours 20yen/3 minutes" POS: ?? Contact: ?? #Access Provider: AT&T Jens Last update: 93-Dec-15 Services/cost: IP services - Digital leased line connection, 64Kbps up One-time 50,000 Yen, Monthly 475,000 Yen and up Dial-up router connection - PSTN or INS-C switched ISDN network Monthly 215,000 Yen and up Dial up SLIP and PPP - planned POS: Contact: Vince Gebes vgebes@sys.attjens.co.jp #Access Provider: AT&TMail Services/cost: E-mail POS: Contact: - Thomas Caldwell, CFI Associates, tmcaldwell@attmail.com Tel: 03-5371-0130 Fax: 03-3374-3865 (agent for AT&TMail) #Access Provider: Compuserve Services/cost: PC Information Service provider with Internet E-mail gateway. No active marketing in Japan but provide access point(s) at least in Tokyo area. POS: The following are unverified access points for Tokyo area: (Tokyo) 03-5471-4790 The above is a direct number but has no no E-mail or electronic forum section. The next numbers may actually be part of Fujitsu "Fenics" network (see Nifty-Serve): (Tachikawa) 0425-29-5491 7E1 (Tokyo) 0337-39-9968 7E1 (Yokohama) 0453-16-6325 7E1 (Yokosuka) 0468-25-7697 7E1 Can also be acccessed via Nifty-Serve, sprintnet. Contact: Get an account in your home country or sign up using one of the introductory offers which often come with (US) modems. Notes: Compuserve policy is, er, fluid. The Japan access point(s) exist but they apparently do no publicize it/them. #Access Provider: C.T.I. - Metanoia BBS (as 94-6-8 is under beta testing) Services/cost: dial-up UNIX shell accounts e-mail and usenet ppp (and maybe SLIP) for local files like e-mail and news http/ftp servers for users to publish their own data uucp bbs (fido-net and first class node) QWK mail packets for downloading of e-mail and news for off-line reading and replies. The price will probably be 2000-3000 yen per month. POS: Tokyo 03-3465-1439 (verified) Contact: - Dial POS and login as "new" [ I tried this but got the following mesage : ] We are sorry but new user accounts are temporarily not available. If you wish to have more information regarding access to CyberShrine, please e-mail the system administrator at anishi@twics.com or call customer support at +81-3-3929-6089. #Access Provider: Fidonet Services/cost: BBS with a Fidonet gateway can be used to send and recieve Internet E-mail via Fidonet. For example john smith at 1:2/3.4 can be reached at john.smith@p4.f3.n2.z1.fidonet.org POS: National though concentrated around Kanto, Kansai and Okinawa Contact: There are about 80 Japan located BBS's listed in regular (copyrighted) FidoNet Region 63 Nodelist put out by Bill English of BillBoard BBS 6:731/16. I hope to put in an editted version of this list if the author agrees. Meanwhile try Tokyo PC BBS (as listed) or the following to get started: FidoNet-Japan BillBoard BBS 0427-77-0847, 8N1 #Access Provider: Global On-Line Japan (beta testing as of 94-6-8) Services/cost: Subscription BBS with as yet unspecified Internet services POS: Tokyo 03-5310-5143 (verified) , 03-5310-5142, 8N1 Contact: - Dial POS for on-line registration Interface: English (will have Japanese) #Access Provider: GOEMON public-access Unix (No Internet connectivity yet) Services/cost: UNIX BBS. Accounts on Goemon are presently free, will be a charge for email and Usenet feeds when available. "Coming soon (hopefully):" - Internet email. - Usenet and other network news. Users will be able to choose the groups that I add to the newsfeed. fj.* groups are OK too. - Better Japanese news-reading software and on-line support for Japanese email. POS: Fujisawa 0466-44-5652 (verified), 8N1, up to 14.4Kbps Contact: - Dial POS and log in as "guest" - Bruce Hahne hahne@acm.org Interface: English #Access Provider: IBM Japan's PEOPLE service, people.or.jp (beta until June 30th) Last updated: 94-Jun-28 Services/cost: - Internet services:Internet services: Internet email, apparently at no per-message surcharge. No ftp, telnet, or WWW, at least not now. A small selction of Japanese and non-Japanese Usenet newsgroups is presently available - Until June 30th, for beta testers only: free. After June 30th: 10Y/minute for 2400 baud, 20Y/minute for up to 14,400. Disk space: 10Y/100KB/day. POS: 03-5572-7011(300-2400bps) 03-5572-7110(9600/14400bps) and 93 access points nation wide(July 1st) Contact: - Information and online sign up Tokyo: Dial-in POS and CONNECT: UserID: Others:Dial-in POS and CONNECT:@ *:A PAM(2400) A HPAM(9600) UserID: - PEOPLE office 0120-860864(toll free, 9:00 to 18:00) fax: 03-5563-0353 Interface: Japanese(Shift-JIS, default, and most kanji codes). #Access Provider: Information Access Cnter (IAC) Last updated: 94-Jun-23 Services/cost: BBS with Internet Email Usenet News sub-set planned Basic BBS service - Free (carries advertising) [ Email probably free too but needs checking ] POS: Tokyo 03-3582-6047 (verified at 9600 bps) , up to 14.4kbps Contact: - Dial POS for on-line registration - The Information Access Center Nomura Roppongi Bldg., #202, 3-4-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106 Tel: 03-5561-0416 Fax: 03-5561-0417 Interface: English #Access Provider: International options (via dial-back, ICOM, SprintLink) To Be Added - Your inputs please ! #Access Provider: Internet Initiative Japan, Inc. (IIJ) Last updated: 94-Jan-7 Services/cost: 1) UUCP (E-mail, News, files) One-time 30,000 Yen, Monthly 2,000 Yen, 30 Yen/minute for speeds up to 19.2 Kbps (analog) 2) IP service connected to the WIDE R&E internet PPP available early April 94 ? Starting from: One-time 180,000 Yen, Monthly 60,000 3) Dial Q2 Service "Access to IIJ's information server via UUCP using NTT's "Dial Q2" servive will be available" [Note the "will"] 30 yen / minute excluding dial-up connect charges. POS: ?? Contact: - 2-11-2 Nagatacho, Hoshigaoka Bldg., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100 Tel: 03-3580-3781 Fax: 03-3580-3782 - info@iij.ad.jp or David R Conrad davidc@iij.ad.jp - Info can be obtained from ftp.iij.ad.jp (192.244.176.33): ftp:pub/info/English ftp:pub/info/Japanese - In the US contact UUNET Technologies, Inc. Tel: 1-800-4UUNET3 or (703) 204-8000 Fax: (703) 204-8001 Email: info@uunet.uu.net #Access Provider: Intercon KK. Now taken over, see PSI Inc. #Access Provider: JANIS II BBS, M.R.T Inc. Services/cost: Subscription BBS running PC Board software Basic Cost: From 10,000 Yen/year Internet E-mail gatewway, Cost: ?? POS: Tokyo 03-3252-7224, 8N1 1200-28,000bps (verified) Contact: - Dial POS for on-line registration - Pete Perkins, M.R.T. Inc, 2nd Fl., Belle Square Bldg. 2-7-10 Kanda Sudacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101 Tel: 03-3255-8880 Fax: 03-3255-8887 Interface: English #Access Provider: PSI Inc. (was Intercon KK) Services/cost: IP services - Leased line Internet access for commercial users 19.2 Kbps - 1.5 Mbps One-time 60,000 Yen and up, Monthly 210,000 Yen and up POS: No dial-in access Contact: Tel: 03-5818-2955 Fax: 03-5818-2931 #Access Provider: Nifty-Serve, Fujitsu Services/cost: No. 2 Compuserve-like PC Information Service provider with Internet E-mail gateway. [ Costs were obtained off-hand from a user and need corroboration ] Basic cost: zero flat rate + 10 Yen/minute connect time (?) Cost for sending/receiving Internet email: Free (?) POS: National via FENICS Frame Relay network dial-in points 300 - 9600bps Examples: Tokyo 03-3739-9120 (verified) 2400bps Tokyo 03-5703-0222 03-5710-5300 Osaka 06-949-2573 06-941-7006 06-947-5936 Akita 0188-31-4120 0188-31-6640 Contact: - "Nifty-Serve Guide Book" available at book stores and LAOX computer in Akihabara (Tokyo electronics shops district) - Nifty-Serve is "presently offering" (94-6-14) free English-language startup kits for "Nifty-Serve ES, the English language version of Nifty-Serve." To get one, call their customer service department at (03) 5471-5806. - On-line sign up in English via POS Log in is not intuitively obvious and according to the number that you dial. Here is example for 03-3739-9120 : Prompt What you enter ---------------------------------------------------------- (none) .00+ (Do not press RETURN!!) COM Enter Connection-ID---> SGE (press RETURN) Enter Serial#---> NIF00777 Enter Agreement#---> NIFTYSGN ---------------------------------------------------------- Note - It is the first line which varies, try also "C NIF" (no quotes, press return) - Member Service Department (toll-free) 0120-22-1200 and 03-5471-5806. Fax: 03-5471-5890 Interface: Japanese ("SVC" Connection ID) or English ("SVE" Connection ID) #Access Provider: PC-VAN, NEC Corporation Services/cost: No. 1 Compuserve-like PC Information Service provider with Internet E-mail gateway. Basic cost: From 2000 monthly OR zero monthly + 20 Yen/3 min connect time Cost for sending/receiving email: ?? POS: National access points, 300-9600bps Contact: - On-line Sign up: 0120-00-9896 (Free dial - 2400bps MNP5) Enter "VANPCINFO" and press return key. 06:00 - 02:00 Japan Std. Time - Voice: 0120-00-9805 (free-dial) or 03-3454-6909 (information) - NEC Show-rooms, "Bit.INN" sales centres Interface: Japanese , NEC-JIS or Shift-JIS #Access Provider: TPC BBS, Tokyo IBM PC Users Club Services/cost: BBS with Fidonet and experimental Internet E-mail gateways Small number of Usenet newsgroups carried. Not-for-profit society offering services for convenience of members Membership: One time 3,000 Yen , annual 10,000 Yen One year BBS Membership - Yen 4,000 (Complete acess to BBS/CD-ROMs) There will probably be supplementary charge for Internet E-mail soon. POS: Tokyo 03-3472-7512 (public) , 8N1 (verified) Contact: - Dial POS for on-line registration - Information Hotline: 03-3576-9783 - Address: The Tokyo PC Users Group, Shibuya Post Restante, Shibya, Tokyo 150, Japan Interface: English #Access Provider: TWICS Last updated: early 1994 Services/cost: BBS, Internet Email, TELNET/rlogin , FTP, Archie, whois, talk, irc "5000 yen/month includes access to all facilities for up to 20 hours each month. A 200-500 yen per hour charge (pro-rated) is added for additional time, depending on the time of day." A 2000 Yen/month, 25 Yen/minute UUCP only service was available and may still be. POS: Tokyo direct dial-in or via ?? Contact: address: TWICS IEC (NichiBei Kaiwa Gakuin) Bldg. 1-21 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo 160 JAPAN phone: (+81 3) 351 5977 FAX: (+81 3) 353 8908 internet: info@twics.com or Tim Burress Interface: English (Japanese??) Notes: Until very recently, this was the only commercial Internet provider. #Access Provider: WIN/TRI-P Last updated: 94-Mar-8 Services/cost: "WIN provides with full Internet services. Domestic ftp, telnet are available now. Internation ftp, telnet will be available April '94. E-mail and news are reachable to world wide . WIN can be accessed through dial-in phone lines or ISDN ." adult student per: First registration 3000yen 2000yen one time Basic charge 1000yen 800yen month (mail and read news) Uucp charge [OPTION] 250yen 200yen month IP Usage registration [OPTION] 2000yen 1800yen person IP Usage charge (PPP,SLIP) [OPTION] 780yen 600yen month FTP,TELNET Usage charge [OPTION] 700yen 500yen month POS: 1) Tokyo 03-5370-7171 8N1 (verified at 9600bps), and ISDN 2) National via TRI-P charge is 10 yen / minute (92 access points) Contact: - Dial-in POS and login in as "guest" - From Welcome screen: TEL 03-5478-7111 FAX 03-5478-7171 - From Enghlish canned info: WINSYSTEM Inc., Yokohama Branch ( For Foreigner Information) 33-4 Matsugaoka Kanagawa-ku Yokohama Kanagawa 221, Japan Fax: +81-45-290-1034 Email: Hirotaka Ikeda / hirotaka@cc.win.or.jp Interface: Japanese - Shift JIS , JIS , EUC selectable Contributors: Andrew Norimasa Nishigaya Max Morris Rogers Huw Bruce Hahne Yoshiyuki Abe <89291416@people.or.jp> Anonymous Brian Gusko Joel West END