Hello! Nice to meet you (again)! How are you guys? It is the blog, How Unique Japan.
Let me ask you first. What do you think about working? I do not doubt that you would imagine a boring, dull, and tiny environment among you.
There are also many procedures to get contracts or permission to do anything if you work in the office.
In comparison, Japanese workplaces should be more complicated due to more procedures because many businesses still lean on the many paper documents with a STAMP instead of just a sign.
Even so, a package delivery in Japan needs the stump to confirm that it was safely delivered (Except Amaz●n). So, everybody in Japan uses it in daily life/work.
It is called Hanko. So, this time, I would like to write about that stump.
Why is Hanko complicating?
I said it was complicated. The reason is that there are officially six kinds of Hanko. During any business procedure, we Japanese use them on each occasion, as well as confirmations of paperwork. Let’s see what we have. (Those are with Roman pronunciation.)
- Jitsu In – It is with official registration for any official documents. It is, for example, insurance.
- Mitome In – Without the registration. We can use it for package delivery.
- Ginko In – It is for some businesses in the Bank.
- Sya In – With a corporation name.
- Daihyousya In – That is for a representative person in any business (for example, boss and chairperson).
And the last one.
Teisei In – We use it to fix mistakes on documents. If we made a miswrite on them, we would need to press the stump to ensure we fixed this part (especially for the vital confirmation).
They are the kinds of Hanko we use in daily life and work. You would get how Japanese businesses take slow and complicated procedures.
The demerits are not yet. Nowadays, many workplaces accept telework and remote-one. However, the Hanko system disturbs the invention of work, even paperless work.
Why do the Japanese not quit the Hanko system in their business? It is due to its history.
The history
About 2300 years ago, the stump came from China. Since then, the ancient Japanese government has used it for any important decision in a political situation – for example, creating laws or any contractions following the advanced politics in China.
Thus, Hanko was usually decorated gorgeous and elegant. In old times, some of them were Gold.
The merit
Although I said there are demerits of using the Hanko, this style has one advantage.
In any Western country, a third party to confirm any contract legally done would be needed whenever a great business is going. Besides, the sign must be the person himself.
On the other hand, in Japan, if someone has the Jitsu In (the stump with legislation), he can contract any deal, even if he should not be the proper person.
It can save a cost for the third party to ensure the contraction and time.
The demerit
Those merits look fine. However, there is one big demerit I have not written though.
Everyone can imitate the other person with (their) Jitsu-In when they want to contract with Banks, even DEBT instead of the person, if someone steals the stamp Jitsu-In.
Thus, there are many crimes in which some victims get into debt unknowingly.
It is terrible.
Unique Hanko
So, a business style with Hanko is a little strict. But nowadays, we have unique Hankos (stumps) that we can sometimes customize as our original (sadly, it can’t be registered. It is like a toy).
Please look at the pictures below.
As you see, several funny stumps are everywhere, especially in stationery shops. Besides, some Hanko shops will accept customizing orders with alphabetical characters.
To close
Indeed. There are complicated ways to do anything in Japan that everyone follows mindlessly.
Why do some Japanese still willingly do that? If you want to know, the front page of my blog could give a tip for it.
Besides, this blog has some simple explanations of how the old government worked in the Edo era in this page. If you are interested in them, try to see them.
All right! It is all today! Thank you so much for reading this article!
See you on the articles coming soon!!