Japan has finally caught up with the times by scrapping regulations requiring the use of floppy disks for administrative purposes. Thirteen years after the country’s last floppy disk units were manufactured, Japan has moved away from this outdated technology. The floppy disk, once a common form of memory storage, has been replaced by flash drives and internet cloud storage in most parts of the world.
The move away from floppy disks began just two years ago when Japan’s digital minister declared a “war on floppy disks.” A variety of businesses were bound by regulations requiring them to submit documents on floppy disks, even after Sony stopped producing them in 2011. However, all regulations mandating the use of floppy disks have now been reviewed, voted on, and repealed.
Although many sectors have updated their technology, some traditional industries in Japan, like the textile industry in Kyoto, are still using floppy disks from the 1980s. Additionally, some businesses like Higo Bank on Kyushu island still process nearly 300 floppy disks daily. The government has indicated that fax machines, still widely used in Japan, are next on the list for modernization.
While some in Japan are reluctant to let go of old technologies, others are enjoying the benefits of newer, faster, and more accurate systems. Despite the nostalgia for the security of floppy disks, officials recognize the importance of data security with new technology. A new era has dawned in Japan with the elimination of floppy disks, and further modernizations are on the horizon.
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