Hitachi to abolish seals for internal documents, cut paper by 70%

Truly "Inspire the next". Isn't that their slogan?

If we are talking ironies, Hitachi's symbol that appears in many of their adverts with a cute song is a TREE. You know one of those things they chop down for useless paperwork in offices.

The tree they use in the ads is a huge spreading one in a park in Honolulu. The advert is filmed from an angle that hides it, but the tree is actually very close to a large freeway. It has become a tourist destination for Japanese visiting Hawaii, and is in all the (Japanese) guidebooks.

Can't you just see some old geezer putting his hanko on a paper that says no more hanko and paper?

It is amazing to read elsewhere that despite being the source of so much of the world's high end office tech, the Japanese office doesn't use very much of it. They are stuck in the 1970s still.

Noting that the reference is only to "internal documents" - it may take a few more study groups before they conclue that postal runners carrying documents with original seals (in triplicate) can be replaced by wireless telegraphic means .... ;-)

Saving our planet ressources, time, money, what a huge step! I hope other companies will follow!

You can be divorced without actually knowing it .. My ex-wife got hold of my hanko

Hanko is one of the most dangerous instrument in Japan. VERY correct to stop using hanko.

About time.

And a very large printed paper manual, probably 1,230 pages; explaining in detail how to work without the hanko!

cut paper by 70%

I can picture staff using a pair of scissors to cut off 70% of each document.

70% paperwork usless, Holy cow that says it all. Might have room on the desk for a loved ones photo. 70% less paper work suddenly gone because of a stamp? Could have said that 40 years ago, it takes time confusion, and a fax to modernise, so little steps.

A part of quirky Japan is disappearing

Good. It's a bit cute, but using them for everyday purposes in 2020 is absurd.

It’s amazing that only now a company the size of Hitachi has realised that such a big efficiency can be made by reducing the use of paper.

Also, it’s amazing that it’s taken an official government word for them to even consider such a drastic move.

I know that’s how things tend to work here, especially in the bigger, more ‘traditional’ companies, but I’m sure there are many smaller companies that haven’t used hankos for years, if ever.