4 Surprising Reasons Japan Isn’t as Technologically Advanced as You Might Think
Technologically advanced Japan is a myth.
Many of us have seen the Honda robot. And the wacky-Japan TV shows showing the crazy inventions here. But Japan hasn’t joined the digital world yet.
Here are some examples that will surprise you.
My first company faxed me my schedule — but that was in 2007 so maybe things have changed, right?
Nope. In 2020 the government tried to stop the use of fax machines. But the backlash made the government give up.
For reasons you will see below, people still use fax machines in 2021.
In Japan, people use a stamp, called a hanko, instead of signing their names (and they can’t do it digitally).
I have 3 different hanko for 3 different types of document. They’re a bureaucratic nightmare because everything needs stamping. And sometimes by more than 1 person.
Stamping documents is so common in Japan it was a big reason people couldn’t work from home during the pandemic.
There is a mistrust of technology.
My bosses thought Google Drive and Google Meet were at risk of hacking. So they required in-person meetings and shared things on paper rather than digitally. Other people think email isn’t safe so they prefer fax machines.
Some people are paranoid about digital communication.
Finally, still in 2021 some shops only accept cash.
Yesterday I was out and I spotted some tasty-looking kimchi. But I was carrying only my card and phone. No kimchi for me — they would only accept cash.
Don’t forget your cash when you’re out in Japan.
