An announcement to abandon the use of ancient technology such as floppy disks in Japan
In Japan, Digital Affairs Minister Taro Kono has ‘declared war’ against the use of floppy disks and other outdated technology by bureaucrats in the country.
He said that even today in Japan around 1900, a business needs CDs, mini-discs and other such storage devices for official functions.
He says the rules will be updated to allow people to use online services as well.
Japan is famous for its use of advanced technology. But its government offices are still running on very old technology.
The floppy disk was invented in the 1960s. It was given this name because the product at that time was flexible. Decades later, the floppy disk is considered an archaic technology because there are more durable and better storage devices available.
For example, more than 20,000 floppy disks would be required to transfer data from a typical 32 GB CUSB to a floppy disk.
However, the reference to this historic floppy disk is still ubiquitous today, as the image of the same floppy disk is clicked to ‘save’ anything anywhere on the computer.
A Japanese government committee has identified 1,900 jobs that require the use of floppy disks for data.
During a news conference last week, Kono criticized the country for still using antiquated technology.
He said that I want to get rid of the fax machine. I am still planning for it today.
Then while talking about the storage devices, he said that ‘Nowadays, where does one even buy a floppy disk from?’
This is not the first time that Japan has been in the headlines because of these old habits. Such a perception about this country is very strange because Japan is known all over the world for creating new technology products.
Several reasons are cited to explain this, including lack of digital literacy, bureaucratic culture and conservative attitudes.
In 2018, the country’s cybersecurity minister admitted that he had never used a computer. He said that he does all the IT related work with his staff.
One of its last pager services ceased operations in Japan during 2019. One of his last few subscribers said that he preferred this method to talk to his elderly mother.
By the 2010s, US officials were also found to be monitoring their nuclear arsenal with the help of floppy disks. However, he reportedly gave it up towards the end of the decade.