With computer viruses threatening to attack mobile phones, NTT DoCoMo Inc. will market Japan's first handsets with built-in anti-virus software, industry sources said over the weekend.

With expanded online functions, mobile phones are expected to soon be targeted by viruses, prompting the phone services provider to take early measures.

The anti-virus software, which will identify and eliminate virus threats to connections and other malfunctions, was jointly developed by DoCoMo and McAfee Inc., a leading U.S. network security software firm.

The software will be installed on a new phone handset to hit the market in December, replacing the third-generation FOMA 900i model.

The software will be kept up-to-date with protection against the latest threats with updates provided through DoCoMo's i-mode communications service.

While no virus infections of mobile phones have been reported in Japan, a virus targeting Nokia phones using the Symbian operating system in Britain was circulating in June.

Viruses also cause devastating malfunctions in third-generation mobile phones that contain online commerce functions, sources said.(IHT/Asahi: November 16,2004)