TOKYO (AP) — The politician tapped to help Japan keep pace with the digital age has his work cut out for him.
After all, the nation known for Nintendo games, Lexus sportscars and other gadgetry galore also loves the fax machine and the traditional “hanko” seals that work as analog signatures.
But Digital Minister Taro Kono has a reputation for no-nonsense action and for defying vested interests in high places.
“I have no intention of playing coordinator,” he told reporters in a small briefing that was, aptly, conducted online Friday.
“If people don’t listen, I am going to beat them up,” he added with a laugh.
Japan ranked 28th among 64 nations in digital competitiveness in 2021, little changed from five years before, according to a study by IMD, a Swiss-based independent academic…
