Japan’s government has officially phased out floppy disks from all its systems, marking a significant step in modernizing its bureaucracy. This change comes two decades after the peak of floppy disk usage.
By mid-June, the Digital Agency successfully eliminated all 1,034 regulations related to floppy disk use, except one environmental regulation concerning vehicle recycling.
Digital minister’s victory
“We have won the war on floppy disks on June 28!” declared Digital Minister Taro Kono, who has been a strong advocate for eliminating outdated technologies like fax machines in government operations. Kono shared this milestone with Reuters on Wednesday.
The Digital Agency was established in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The urgency to implement nationwide testing and vaccination highlighted the government’s reliance on paper filing and obsolete technology.
Kono, a popular figure with 2.5 million followers on X, previously served as the head of the defense and foreign ministries, and managed the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. He took on his current role in August 2022 after an unsuccessful bid to become prime minister.
Ongoing digitization struggles
Despite progress, Japan’s digitization efforts have faced several challenges. A contact-tracing app failed during the pandemic, and the adoption of the government’s My Number digital identification card has been slower than anticipated, plagued by data mishaps.