[Japan] Two men suspected of targeting universities and schools with threatening faxes

In our increasingly digital world, some may question the continued relevance of fax machines. Yet, the recent arrest of two men in Tokyo for sending threatening faxes underscores the persistent, if not perplexing, place that fax technology holds in our lives. These two men, driven by misguided intentions, managed to send a staggering 300,000 threatening…

Death threat faxes sent to schools for 3 straight days

Death threat faxes sent to schools for 3 straight days

Well, folks, it seems the humble fax machine is still making headlines in 2023, and not just for its stubborn refusal to retire. A recent article from The Asahi Shimbun reported a rather grim use of our old friend, the fax. Over three consecutive days, a series of threats were sent via fax to schools…

A strange love affair: Why won't Japan get rid of fax machines?

Japan’s government wants to say “sayonara” to paper communication. But local offices still love their fax machines and won’t give them up. Even though many Japanese employees were allowed to work from home in order to slow down the spread of the virus, whenever an important document had to be sent to another branch or…

Post on reddit /r/sysadmin: Fax – Why?

Post on reddit /r/sysadmin: Fax – Why?

Interesting responses to the “Fax – Why” question by multiple contributors on reddit: User HeadacheCentral says: The legal profession has a massive reluctance to move away from printed documents. HeadacheCentral User Giblet15 says: Fax is considered an acceptable medium to transmit information covered by HIPAA, email is not. Giblet15 User Serpentine-uk says: fax machines are…

Japanese Hospitals File COVID cases by fax

Japanese Hospitals File COVID cases by fax

In a recent outpouring on social media, a respiratory medicine specialist in Japan expressed his frustration with the country’s legal requirement that hospitals complete paperwork on new coronavirus cases by hand and then fax it to public health centers. His tweet, stating “Come on, let’s stop this. Reporting cases in handwriting? Even with the coronavirus,…