January 4, 2005
Disaster warnings to switch on TVs
The Japanese government intends to establish an evacuation order system in which televisions and television-equipped cell phones possessed by members of the public would be automatically switched on in the event of a missile attack or a major natural disaster, government sources said Tuesday, reports the Daily Yomiuri.
Such a system would allow people to receive information directly from the central government and evacuate as soon as possible.
[...] Digital broadcasting also allows cell phone users to receive TV broadcasts. Cell phone service operators plan to market cell phones that allow users to access digital broadcasting, meaning that even if TVs were unusable due to a power outage, people could receive warnings through their cell phone if it was on.
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