It's reputational hangover from I would say maybe the 80s. My experience in Japan was totally the opposite. Most people's emails are something like abc3fa3a11fe.afj.kl@softbank.co.jp because that's the email their phone provider gave them, and they don't know how to check their email if they lose their mobile phone. Internet access is sparse - not even the starbucks at the famous shinjuku intersection had wifi when I was there in 2014. If you want internet, you need to go to an internet cafe - those places that people sometimes just move into as cheap apartments. To do that, you need to register for a card... with a Japanese phone number and a Japanese bank.

You want any paperwork done, it'll involve a fax. No, scanning and emailing will not work, sorry. No, you can't just bring the paper in, it must arrive via the fax machine.

Japanese websites: https://randomwire.com/why-japanese-web-design-is-so-differe...

Etc.

Japan has been struggling to keep up in a software-first world. Hardware has been pretty close to top-notch, software not so much.

Rest of the world: "Please take me to such and such address"

Japan: "Please start driving towards <famous landmark>. You know that convenience store near there? Yeah that's the one, can you take me there for starters. OK, now still continue a bit forward. Now turn right in the next intersection. Yes, right here, next take a left..."