In Japan, many businesses still only accept cash. So when bank giant Mizuho had an epic fail, a lot of people were rightly panicking. A nationwide system failure hit more than 5,000 ATMs and affected their online banking platform too.
During the last Sunday of February, customers were unable to withdraw money or make online banking transactions. Worse, the poor folks that were using ATMs at the time of the failure saw their cards and passbooks swallowed by the now turned-evil-machines.
The glitch, reportedly caused by a data update of some sort, was solved by Sunday night. But many ATMs remained affected on Monday.
No money mo’ problems
みずほ銀行ATMが全国的にエラー発生してるらしくキャッシュカード吸われて出て来なくなった。
コールセンター30分以上待ってやっと繋がってカード戻ってきた
ATM篭ってるから110番されて警察も来るわで大変だった、、、
復旧の目処立ってないらしいから今日みずほ利用する方気を付けて！
“It seems that Mizuho ATMs are experiencing a nationwide error, with cards swallowed and not coming out. I waited over 30 minutes before being connected and getting my card back. It was hard because I stayed by the ATM and it dialed 110 and the police came. It seems there’s no hope to recover (the card). People using Mizuho today should be careful!”
Just keep waiting
みずほ銀行のATMにキャッシュカード吸い込まれたままこの画面に。どうにかしてください。備え付けの電話も繋がらない。
“Here’s the screen after the ATM swallowed and kept my card. Please do something. The built-in phone does not connect.”
みずほ銀行にカードを飲まれて2時間半経過！
会社の金が入ってるのでそのままにもできず籠城する羽目に…
未だみずほには繋がらない。
いちいち銀行に入ってくる人に｢ATM使えませんよ｣と情報説明するのも楽しくなってきた。
“More than two and a half hours have passed since my card got swallowed by Mizuho bank! I’m in the awkward situation of holding the fort since my company’s money is inside. I’m still not connected with Mizuho. I’m starting to have fun explaining the situation and telling people that come in that, ‘you can’t use the ATM.'”
みずほ銀行のATM、事故現場みたいになってる・・・
“Mizuho bank’s ATMs became like an accident scene…”
みずほ銀行本店(大手町タワー)を外から。
電気付いてるから今頃タコ部屋なのかしら
“Here’s the outside of the Mizuho Bank headquarters at Otemachi Tower. I wonder if people on the floors with the lights on are locked in.”
Banking in Japan
If you’re going to live in Japan, you should probably get up to speed with our banking and finance 101 guides. Using an ATM isn’t too complicated, and we got you covered with our Kanji Cheat Sheet, but bank transfers in Japan are another matter.
Here’s also a good vocabulary list to get you started with the language of banking in Japan:
銀行 ginkou Bank 印鑑 inkan Stamp used for official documents 通帳 tsuuchyou Bank book (or passbook) キャッシュカード kyasshyu kaado Cashcard 口座番号 kouza bangou Account number 手数料 teisuryou Handling fee 預け入れ azukeire Deposit 引き出し hikidashi Withdrawal 金をおろす kane o orosu Withdraw money 出金する shyukkin suru Make a payment
Vocabulary
全国的に zenkokuteki ni Nation-wide 発生する hassei suru Appear 吸われる suwareru Be swallowed コールセンター koorusentaa Call center 繋がる tsunagaru Connect 篭る komoru Be stuck in, confined in 目処(が)立つ medo ga tatsu There’s hope, there’s a good prospect for… 備え付けの電話 sonaetsuke no denwa Built-in phone 籠城する roujyou suru To hold the castle/the fort, be besieged 羽目に hame ni Be in a plight, be in an awkward situation 未だ imada Still 私服 shifuku Plainclothes 係員 kakariin A person in charge, clerk 事故現場 jikogenba Accident scene タコ部屋 takobeya Takobeya refers to an oppressive labor system in place in Hokkaido during the Meiji Era, which had workers forced to sleep in concentration camps. Their huts were called “takobeya.”
