Covid Crisis Wreaking Change on Japan’s Business Practices

Hanko goes on the chopping block

By: Todd Crowell

The current pandemic, which has forced millions of salarymen and bureaucrats to work out of their homes, is changing long-honored Japanese business practices including the use of a personal seal known as a hanko to ratify legally important documents. The fax machine may follow.

The hanko, or more commonly called the “chop,” used to be ub…