Today's Close-Up

How Will Japan Change Without "Hanko"? (2020x46)

Air date: Nov 20, 2020

Japan's hanko seals have been an essential requirement for day-to-day documents and official forms for many years. But a government push to bring workplace practices and administrative procedures fully into the digital era has put pressure on businesses and city authorities to eliminate the seals from most paperwork. We look at what the shift away from this long-running custom means for Japan, and some of the hurdles that are presenting themselves along the way.