Revealing Japan's low-tech belly

[Mycernius]

Seen this today on the BBC site. How technology isn't so prevalent in modern Japan compared to other countries:

Revealing Japan's low-tech belly

Police stations without computers, 30-year-old "on hold" tapes grinding out tinny renditions of Greensleeves, ATMs that close when the bank does, suspect car engineering, and kerosene heaters but no central heating.

A dystopian vision of a nation with technology stuck in an Orwellian time warp? Not at all. These are aspects of contemporary, low-tech Japan that most visitors miss as they look around the hi-tech nation that its government, electronics industry and tourism board are keen to promote.

Tech-savvy internationalised companies such as Panasonic characterise that familiar but smaller segment of Japan Inc. The second much larger, and often subsidised economy, comprises overstaffed family-run firms that are decidedly low-tech and high-priced.
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[Half-n-Half]

Interesting article, I never thought of it like that. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Astroboy]

Seen this today on the BBC site. How technology isn't so prevalent in modern Japan compared to other countries:
Revealing Japan's low-tech belly

Interesting article, too. Maybe something usual to Japanese may draw attention of foreigners.

 

[FrustratedDave]

That was classic!!! Hit the nail on the head. Damm civil servants here are so reluctant for change it is not funny.

I am sick of the ATM's being closed after hours and banks that close at 3pm for that matter, except now they have them in the conbini's that open to at least 9pm. Half the nation still can't use a PC and there really is no rush to do so. I mean someones idea of computer literate and being skilled in office Word or Excel means they can open the program and type and do a few sums.

No I am not going to make this a rant so I will stop here...

 

[Chidoriashi]

That was classic!!! Hit the nail on the head. Damm civil servants here are so reluctant for change it is not funny.

I am sick of the ATM's being closed after hours and banks that close at 3pm for that matter, except now they have them in the conbini's that open to at least 9pm. Half the nation still can't use a PC and there really is no rush to do so. I mean someones idea of computer literate and being skilled in office Word or Excel means they can open the program and type and do a few sums.

No I am not going to make this a rant so I will stop here...

Yeah, banks here can seriously kiss my a**, inconvenient hours, horrible interest rates, charging their own account holders to take money out of their account after hours, having to open an entirely separate account in order to do online banking (at least at my bank) terribly slow service for anything done in person.. and the list goes on, and on.. .. ughh.. i need a beer.