The journey of the government of Japan towards a digital future is now without floppy disks. As the country's Digital Agency completes its overhaul of outdated systems, the last remaining link to 1990s-era technology becomes a relic of the past in its government computer systems.
Reuters reported that the only system still in place that requires using floppy disks is an environmental system for monitoring vehicle recycling.
four MacBook diskettes (Photo : Brett Jordan on Unsplash)
Japan Government Transitions Away From Floppy Disks
The government of Japan is bidding farewell to floppy disks as it modernizes its systems. The country's Digital Agency has phased out all but one of its antiquated setups.
While floppy disks may evoke memories of early computing eras, they are still in use in some corners of the world, including certain governmental operations. Japan, however, is now among those reliant on this outdated technology.
The Digital Agency announced Wednesday that it had eliminated the use of floppy disks in its government computer systems. Japan's Digital Minister Taro Kono, who was vocal in eliminating fax machines and other analog technology in government, celebrated the elimination of floppy disks on June 28, Reuters reported.
It is a step forward from the dot matrix printer paper era. Since his appointment to the Digital Agency in 2022, Kono's agency has been actively phasing out '90s-era computer technology across Japan's government operations.
Approximately 1,900 government procedures relied on outdated technology, such as floppy disks, fax machines, CDs, and MiniDiscs. Kono's declaration of war on floppy disks resonated widely, reaching his 2.5 million followers on social media platform X.
The Digital Agency was established during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 amid a national push for widespread testing and vaccination, uncovering reliance on paper-based filing systems and outdated technology within the government.
Kono previously led defense and foreign ministries and spearheaded COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts. He assumed his current role in August 2022 following an unsuccessful campaign for prime minister.
As the nation moves forward, the legacy of outdated technologies gives way to a future defined by innovation, resilience, and a proactive approach to embracing digital transformation.
This milestone streamlines governmental processes and sets a precedent for other nations grappling with technological obsolescence, highlighting the necessity of staying abreast of rapid advancements in the digital age.
Japan was not alone in its reliance on outdated technology like floppy disks long after more efficient data storage methods became standard.
The US military, for instance, continued to use 8-inch floppy disks to operate its Strategic Automated Command and Control System (SACCS), a computer system from the 1970s responsible for handling nuclear launch codes and emergency messages.
The startling revelation about SACCS came to light through CBS's "60 Minutes" and its correspondent Lesley Stahl. The Defense Department finally retired the system in 2019.
