Go now! Japan ends floppy disk usage in government institutions

The war was tough, but Japan emerged victorious in the fight to eliminate the floppy disk from government media. After that, All public institutions in the region are using more modern storage media data loss or increased reliance on cloud computing.

The person who confirmed the information was Minister Taro Kono, who is in charge of the country’s digital affairs office.”On June 28th we won the war against floppy disks!“, the politician explained in a statement to the news agency Reuters.

In the last month, Kono managed to reduce 1,034 government operations These were still tied to floppy disks, but were on the verge of extinction after new regulations were issued demanding modernization.

Only one case regarding vehicle recycling was ongoing, but it was also resolved by the ministry.

The fight against floppy disks lasted two years

The floppy disk was used in Japan primarily to send documents and requests to government agencies for both individuals and regional companies. Some segments of society called for change, but bureaucracy and traditional processes hindered change.

Just as fax was used to send documents, which resisted the country, the floppy disk was increasingly criticized for its technological lag. Particularly popular in the 1990s, these devices had low storage capacity, were more fragile than rivals such as external hard drives, and required a special reader that was not found in the vast majority of today’s computers.

The technology was officially considered obsolete worldwide in 2010, when Sony decided to shut down its production line of the device.

At the end of 2021, Japan launched the activities of its new Ministry of Digital Affairs to assist with a range of activities involving technologies, including those related to vaccination against COVID-19, while some regions intensified efforts to eliminate floppy disks from daily life.

The following year, Kono took office and quickly became a popular figure, leading process modernization efforts including fighting against floppy disks and CD-ROM use, as well as through his social media presence. There is speculation that he will be one of the next candidates for the country’s prime ministership in the upcoming elections.