Japan Urged To Not Rush Digital TV

The Japanese government has come under pressure from one of its chief advisers to ease the pace of plans to digitize terrestrial broadcasting. Makoto Kitagawa, the head of a commission charged with studying the digitization plan, said the posts and telecommunications ministry should give broadcasters more flexibility in preparing for the switch from analog. Under the ministry's plan, TV stations in the three main conurbations of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya must launch digital services in 2003, and all other networks must complete the switch by 2010.