Japan’s big ‘problem’ with the death of Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer — the once king of browsers — will officially fade into oblivion soon. Microsoft confirmed that it is pulling the plug on it — six years after the phasing out plan was announced. However, it looks like the news hasn’t gone down well in Japan. A report by Nikkei reveals that a survey conducted by IT resource provider Kenya’s Net revealed that many organisations still relied on Internet Explorer as their primary browser. Almost 49% of the respondents said that Explorer was their primary browser.
Further, the report reveals that a Tokyo-based software developer Computer Engineering & Consulting has received requests for help from government agencies, financial institutions and businesses.

Why are some Japanese companies ‘struggling’ with the death of Internet Explorer

The problem, as per the report, is that a lot of government agencies and companies run websites that remain compatible only with Internet Explorer. A lot of Japanese companies, according to the report, use the browser for internal tools as well as attendance management. Some companies have to use Internet Explorer “because of clients’ systems used to handle orders.”
The report says that government agencies in Japan have been slow to transition from Explorer to other browsers. A lot of government agencies’ recommended browser still remains Internet Explorer. Japan’s Information Technology Promotion Agency has been requesting users to move to other browsers for a smooth transition but many haven’t complied.
To be fair to Microsoft, it had given ample amount of time to users to switch from Explorer to its own Edge browser or they have the choice to move to Chrome, Firefox or any other browser.
In an official blog post dated June 15, 2002, Microsoft confirmed the end of the road for Internet Explorer. “After 25+ years of helping people use and experience the web, Internet Explorer (IE) is officially retired and out of support as of today, June 15, 2022. To many millions of you, thank you for using Internet Explorer as your gateway to the internet.”