Alex Omenye
Japan’s Digital Agency announced on Wednesday the complete elimination of floppy disks from its government computer systems, marking the end of an era of outdated technology usage within the country.
According to Reuters, Japan’s Digital Agency confirmed that the only remaining system reliant on floppy disks is an environmental monitoring system used for vehicle recycling.
Digital Minister Taro Kono proudly declared to the news agency, “We have won the war on floppy disks on June 28!” His statement underscores the symbolic victory in modernizing Japan’s government infrastructure, humorously noting the outdated printing technology associated with the era.
Minister Kono initiated the campaign against ’90s-era technology shortly after assuming office at the Digital Agency in 2022. At that time, approximately 1,900 government procedures still relied on floppy disks, alongside other obsolete technologies like fax machines, CDs, and MiniDiscs. His initiative, famously dubbed “a war on floppy discs,” resonated widely, reaching 2.5 million followers on social media platform X.
Japan’s persistence with floppy disks beyond their global decline parallels similar instances in other nations. For example, the US military continued using 8-inch floppy disks until 2019 for its Strategic Automated Command and Control System, which managed critical functions like nuclear launch codes and emergency communications.
The evolution away from these outdated systems highlights a broader global trend towards modernizing infrastructure for efficiency and security, as illustrated by Japan’s recent technological overhaul.
