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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Mycernius said:

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

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FrustratedDave said:

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...

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