The countries which hanko functions practically in a social identification system is Japan and Tiwan.
There is an active argument in Japan over whether a seal idetification system supported mainly by finacial industry between abolitionists who advocate its obsoleteness culture and easy falsification, and supporters who advocate maintaining the Japanese seal culture as one of a solution of complexity of a procedure process of paper work.
Why Japan stubbornly supports seal identification system
Firstly, we Japanese had traditionally signature called “Kaou” which had been used from 11 century to 19 century over 800 years. Japanese Meiji government initially showed signs of introducing “Kaou” into social identification system. The department of justice in Meiji government suggested to adopt both signature and sealing, and raise up solutions down below.
- It is thinkable for worst scenario to infringe the right of property by counterfeit and stealing.
- It is not only easy for seal to counterfeit but also to be able to stamp other person’s seal on court documents, which causes a problem on the process of suit in court.
- 3, It is quite difficult to imitate someone’s writing.
- 4, Therefore, sealing is inferior to signature at all.
In the viewpoint of judgement of true or false, signature is favorable but the literacy rate was still low at the time and there were a lot of people who didn’t have an ability of writing. Hence, because it was quite difficult to quit using seal and adopt signature, meanwhile, used both seal and signature and raise up the literacy rate during the enforcement of this policy.
However, banks took objection of this policy suggestion. Banks insisted the issued documents were huge amount and giving signature and seal on all the documents had a possibility to make bank tasks complex. After all, the department of justice was overpowered by banks with insistence of continuing the custom of sealing and all documents were approved by signing and sealing.
The dispute between seal and signature was settled with the victory of seal supporters but their ground they are supportive of using seal was mainly following points.
- Requiring signature to Japanese is not suitable for Japanese traditional custom.
- Ignoring using a seal is not appropriate because Japanese have got used to using seal.
- There are many illiterate people in Japan
- It is inconvenient for business man to sign on documents like stock certificate.
- No worries that seal is stolen because it is kept under lock.
- It is easy to find a counterfeit seal but quit difficult to judge authenticity of writing.
A solution of complexity a process of paper work and problem of illiterate rate that banks raised up as an issue at that time don’t even become a reason not to use signature at present days. Majority paper works are computerized and organized automatically and literacy rate has remarkably been raised.
In fact, majority industries support signature identification. As electronic clearing system through electronic commerce increase, it is obvious that off-line stores also start to introduce electronic clearance system. Japanese delivery companies have followed so far traditional commercial custom that they required customers traditionally to stamp seal on check slip to confirm baggage pick-up as of old but gradually some companies are shifting its receipt confirmation from stamping seal to electronic signature system influenced by DHL or FEDEX. Identification process which applies only for paper is clearly out of date in Japan. Even some banks that has conservative constitution stubbornly maintaining obsolete financial rules started to take in signature culture for identity verification.