Answers: Public Internet Access in Japan

[Aaron Dailey <aarond () xibm StorTek com>]

A while ago I asked about how to access the Internet, email in
particular, from Japan.  Here is the best answer, I got it from the
TWICs people, but I think it's from the soc.japan FAQ:

     ---- Internet Mail in Japan 93/05/21 ----

     Note: This is only for mail. As far as I know there is no publicly
     accessible ftp/telnet to the Internet in Japan at this time. 

     1) Join NiftyServe or PC-VAN and pay 20 yen/K for mail to selected
     domains within Japan. NiftyServe has a link to CompuServe and 
     PC-VAN has a link to Genie for something like 70 yen/minute; once
     you are on the U.S.-side you can send/receive Internet mail.

     2) Join CompuServe in the U.S. and access it via TYMPAS (TYMNET) for
     ~70 yen/minute. Some people also call direct at 110+ yen/minute
     (depending on time of day) with high speed modems and claim they
     it's better for large file transfers than TYMPAS which is only 2400
     BPS. CompuServe can also be accessed via FENICS and instead of
     CompuServe you might consider any host outside Japan you can get to
     via X.25 Public Data Network. 

     3) Join Aegis in Kyoto for a UNIX host + BBS-like front end. 5,000
     yen signup, 20,000 yen/year + 20 yen/K for mail to all other
     addresses against a deposit of 10,000 yen. Access is direct dial-up
     up only. Send mail to davidg () aegis or jp for details.

     4) Join TWICS in Tokyo for a VAX/VMS-host with PARTI/CAUCUS and an
     AUS USENET newsreader. 5,000 yen deposit/signup + 3,000 yen/month,
     mail inside Japan at no extra charge, charges for mail outside of
     Japan free for the first 24K/month and 45 yen/K afterwards. TWICS is
     well connected to other systems via DASNET at varying additional
     charges. Access via direct dial-up, TYMPAS, DDX. Send mail to
     burress () twics co jp for details.

     5) Set up your own UUCP host and join Juice. 5,000 yen to join plus
     1,000 yen/month, mail within Japan OK, not sure about international
     but most probably via KDDlabs' Inet Club which is 30 yen/K. Access
     via direct dial-up. Send mail to juice-admin () juice co jp for details. 

     For international netmail, you will need to subscribe to KDD's
     InetClub. Charges are ~2,000 yen/month and up according to how many
     people are at your site, plus 30 yen/K. Also, you may need to call
     their site in Saitama directly, unless you want to route through
     somebody else, thereby making them subsidize your traffic. Contact
     konish () kddlabs co jp for details. 

     6) Set up your own UUCP host and join IIJ (Internet Initiative Japan).
     30,000 yen to join, 2,000 yen/month, 30 yen/minute. Nodes will go
     up in the Kanto area in May. Contact up in the Kanto area in May. Contact info () iij ad jp.

     7) AT&T mail. Registration Fee 15,000 yen. Outgoing mail: 1000 bytes
     420 yen (U.S. recipient on another network); 2000 bytes 560 yen (420
     + 140); 3000 bytes 670 yen (560 + 110); above 3000 670 + 105 yen/K.
     (Note - if you purchase AT&T access software for 30,000 to 60,000
     yen depending on system, you recieve a discount of 60 yen/K).
     Incoming mail: no charge after registration. Contact: AT&T Jens
     Corp.  No. 25 Mori Building, 1-4-30 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106
     Tel: 03-5561-3411 (Osaka: 06-946-2411), Fax: 03-3584-1125 (Osaka:
     06-946-2412).

The TWICs people will be direct connected in the near future I
believe.

I found another option, MCI Mail, which turned out to be the best for
my brother.  It's about $.50/minute connect time, plus a monthly fee,
but they have a program that lets you compose and read messages
off-line.  They can be reached in the US at 1-800-444-MAIL.


Aaron Dailey Internet: Aaron_Dailey () stortek com
StorageTek Corporation   Voice: (303) 673-4989, FAX: (303) 673-2570
Mail:  MS0242, 2270 South 88th Street, Louisville, C0 80028