Japan Still Uses Fax Machines

Warm Up

1. Do you write letters by hand or on the computer?

2. How do you send messages to your family?

3. Have you ever sent a fax?
   

Reading

Why Does Japan Still Uses Fax Machines?

Japan has long been famous for its technology. But the land that brought the world modern products like the Sony PlayStation and the Toyota Prius still uses some very old technology, fax machines. Although fax machines were common in offices around the world in the 1980s and 1990s, personal computers and email have generally made them unnecessary. However, fax machines are still used by most businesses and even in many homes in Japan. Why?

One reason is age. Over 29% of Japan's population is aged over 65. Many older people, who have been using fax machines since the 1980s, see no reason to change. Another reason is security. Faxes are sent over telephone lines, so they are seen as safer than email, which can be hacked. But the biggest reason is that many of Japan's businesses and government offices still keep paper documents and use personal seals, called hanko, which are used instead of signatures.

If you want to sign a contract or an official document in Japan, you need to use a hanko. Faxes are useful because they can be stamped with a hanko and kept as a paper record. In 2021, government minister Taro Kono tried to end the use of both hanko and fax machines by government offices.

However, hundreds of government offices said that ending the use of fax machines would be "impossible." But there has been some change. During the coronavirus pandemic, the use of handwritten faxes by health centers was criticized for taking too much time and the health ministry agreed to introduce a new online system.

Reading Comprehension

1. What is one reason why Japan still uses fax machines?

2. What percent of Japan is over 65 years old?

3. What technology has Japan brought the world?
   

Discussion Questions

1. What are your thoughts on the popularity of fax machines in Japan?

2. Do you have a fax machine at home or at your workplace?

3. Do you think Japan should move away from using fax machines?

4. Do you own any old or outdated pieces of technology?

5. Do you know anyone who struggles with or doesn't like using new technology?

6. Have you bought any new technological devices recently?

7. What technologies do you remember being excited about growing up?

8. How do you expect technology to change your industry over the next few years?

9. Which of your devices do you think you'd find the hardest to live without?

10. In your opinion, has technology made life more complicated in any way?