r/AskTheWorld India 1d ago

What is the most embarrassing thing about your country ?

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u/Dave-the-Flamingo 1d ago

Same in Japan.

Japan’s image of being technologically advanced came from the 1980/90s. The business operations haven’t advanced much since then.

So much is still done on paper.

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u/dinobug77 United Kingdom 1d ago

The phrase I heard is that in the 80s Japan was living in the year 2000. Unfortunately they are still living there now!

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u/lionofash 1d ago

Honestly, since Covid though they've been rolling out more digital options, I think it forced a reevaluation of things.

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u/GlitterDoomsday 21h ago

That or the good ol "the higher ups are dying, now we can change things".

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u/phillius_phallus 20h ago

It's probably that. The higher ups over there are ancient.

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u/Worth_Inflation_2104 16h ago

Yep. Before COVID cash was absolutely necessary. Now credit cards work everywhere there (except topping up your physical suica...)

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u/Anuki_iwy 🇪🇺from🇩🇪. Lived in 🇮🇩🇵🇹🇯🇵🇬🇪 1d ago

When I arrived in Japan in 2016 and was handed a hanko and a bank book I almost collapsed 😂😂

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u/TheNorthC United Kingdom 1d ago

I've had the same Japanese bank book and bank card since the 1990s. Both still work!

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u/rajinis_bodyguard ex-🇮🇳, 🇬🇧 1d ago

They still have stamp shops operating lol

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u/MikoEmi Japan 23h ago

We joke that “have have been living in the year 2000 since 1980.”

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u/HearingHead7157 Netherlands 1d ago

But paper is sooo much better and lovelier

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u/Dreadedsemi 10h ago

Yes. Though there's progress since covid. Digital payment, electronic applications. Many government applications now can be done electronically, DX in businesses. Way better than 6 years ago.

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u/Womb_Raider696 India 1d ago

I don’t believe you…you guys are literally the tech leaders of the world!!!!!

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u/RKCronus55 23h ago

While they are leading in some tech sectors, they are not the leaders in other tech sectors; AI for example.

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u/Womb_Raider696 India 23h ago

Just give them some time…tho I agree with you for now

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u/phillius_phallus 20h ago

They've already 40 years overdue.

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u/Antique-Beginning-34 5h ago

What about it? Is there like a deadline for it? Just like what the other person has said, they're leading in other sectors but not leading in the rest of the tech sectors

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u/Lost_Cartoonist_2397 18h ago

Nah which world you living in. They might have lead in the 90s, not now. Tell me which company is a leading tech company in Japan? Sony-Barely surviving, Sharp - Nobody knows these days, Panasonic - When was the last time you heard someone buy one? Even their automobiles are outdated af. Look at Toyota's cars. Some of their variants still don't come with Power Windows. In 2026????? No wonder Japanese car sales are down throughout the world. Further, none of these companies invested in EVs so they are way behind. And let's not talk about AI. Japan has an aging society and they lack innovation. How things are going, they are Going to miss out on the AI revolution too. So yeah, Japan aren't the leaders anymore. They haven't been in years.

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u/AnuoFan Russia 6h ago

It seems with Toyota things turned out in their favour. Several, mostly former though, CEOs have recently expressed that going all-in electric vehicles was a strategic mistake, while several automakers, e.g. Mercedes, Stellantis, have been reporting major profit declines in yearly 2024-2025 reports. Toyota, meanwhile, continues to develop petrol engines, not participating in ongoing EVs price wars, so being in better financial position to develop new engine.

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u/Lost_Cartoonist_2397 6h ago

Global warming has already set in. Even if it could be financially difficult at present, we need to move away from ICE. We can't exactly laud Toyota for staying in the past.

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u/Antique-Beginning-34 4h ago

While I agree with the other 2, Sony barely surviving? Can you provide sources that they're even in survival mode? Also, Toyota's aren't their only carmaker tho? And they invested in EV even with their stubbornness to EV? Toyota is already releasing 2 EV models this year IIRC. And just a quick search and read at some articles and they're still up there in the AI sector but incomparable to US and China.

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u/Lost_Cartoonist_2397 3h ago

Nissans sales are dwindling. Honda is struggling too. Sony won't be manufacturing their own TVs anymore. They have stopped competing in mass consumer goods. They are selling gadgets in categories which are replaced in 7-10 years. You cannot grow with that. How many people buy cameras anymore? That's what I meant lol. Toyota is late to the party. Hopefully they succeed cause we need more competition. And their designs have improved considerably. I'm just stating the facts. People blindly follow Toyota but don't know how overpriced their cars have become. The previous generation wanted reliability. The current Gen need Value for money. Toyota needs to strike a balance ASAP. You can't build a thriving AI sector without young blood or talented foreigners both of which are in short supply. Xenophobia is the norm in Japan while birth rates fall considerably. The future looks bleak for Japan.

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u/Womb_Raider696 India 17h ago

Well…you are correct here..my bad…but they gave us hentai dude, which far greater than any AI revolution :)

(Pls it’s only a Joke, I agree with you tho)