Japan NTT says hopes to start int'l business soon .
TOKYO 1996-12-06
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp ( NTT ) said on Friday that it hopes to move into the international telecommunications business as soon as possible following the government 's decision to split NTT into three firms under a holding company .
" We hope to start international telephone business as soon as possible , " a company official told Reuters .
The official said the latest government decision to split the company under a holding company would allow flexibility in NTT 's international phone business .
Earlier , Posts and Telecommunications Minister Hisao Horinouchi told a news conference the government plans to split NTT into three firms under a holding company , but did not specify when the restructuring would likely take effect .
One of the three new companies will be a long-distance operator and the other two will be local-call operators , Horinouchi said .
One of the local firms will operate in west Japan and the other in east Japan , he added .
The long-distance operator will offer international services , Horinouchi said .
The NTT official said the timing of the planned split-up was uncertain because more discussions by government officials were required .