Overview

• NTT West said a communications‑equipment fault around 3:45 p.m. JST on Sept. 16 made fixed lines difficult to connect across Kyoto and Osaka and in part of Hyogo.
• Kyoto City Fire Department reported no 119 calls for at least an hour after 3:45 p.m. and announced that 119 was not getting through.
• The department published alternative mobile contact numbers, urged residents to go directly to nearby stations if needed, and sent fire engines to patrol so people could report emergencies in person.
• NTT West advised using mobile or public telephones for emergencies and suggested mobile data or public Wi‑Fi if home internet was unavailable.
• In other official notices on Sept. 16, Hokkaido’s July 1 benchmark land prices fell year on year across six West‑Iburi municipalities, Naha City opened several procurement tenders with late‑September to early‑October timelines, and the health ministry scheduled a non‑public drug‑discovery working group for Sept. 22.