Japan and South Korea lag rivals in fiber-optic speeds as 5G nears

Weak investment for upgrades risks national competitiveness in new technologies

As homes and workplaces typically use optical lines via wireless local area networks, these optical line networks need to be improved to make the best use of 5G. (Nikkei montage/AP)

KAZUHIRO KIDA, MAO KAWANO and KENICHI YAMADA, Nikkei staff writers

February 15, 2019 18:01 JST

TOKYO/SEOUL -- Communications networks in Japan and South Korea are being overtaken by faster rivals around the world, and the lack of public and private incentives to invest in upgrades threatens the industrial competitiveness of Japan as fifth-generation wireless technology approaches commercialization.