Mizuho Financial : Japan's Mizuho Bank reports large-scale ATM system failure

Mizuho Bank said Sunday a glitch affecting some of its automated teller machines had prevented customers from withdrawing money.

The system failure apparently occurred nationwide, one of Japan's largest banks said. In some cases, ATMs stopped functioning and cash cards were not returned.

Its internet banking service also failed to complete some transactions and had not recovered as of 7 p.m.

"We apologize for any inconvenience," the banking arm of Mizuho Financial Group Inc. said on its website, asking customers to use the ATMs of its partner banks if they need money immediately.

Mizuho Financial has experienced large-scale system failures in the past.

In April 2002, when its affiliated banks were reorganized, problems at ATMs resulted in 2.5 million electronic withdrawals and other transactions being delayed.

In March 2011, ATM and counter transactions were temporarily suspended and more than 1 million money transfers were delayed soon after the massive earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.

==Kyodo

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