Google apologizes for causing network failures in Japan

August 27, 2017

TOKYO- U.S. technology giant Google Inc. has apologized for causing Internet access failures across Japan on Friday.

In a statement released Saturday, Google said an incorrect network setting caused the failures, adding that the problem was fixed within eight minutes. The firm promised to make efforts to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

The failures, which started just after Friday noon (3 a.m. GMT), affected NTT Communications Corp.'s OCN operations, the country's largest Internet access service.

Also disrupted were online services of brokerage houses, banks and other businesses. These failures were largely resolved by Friday evening.

The incident shows the vulnerability of an Internet-based society that could receive far-reaching impact from a mistake by a major Internet company. Jiji Press