I posted this because I find it interesting as a form of authentication, compared to a signature. Especially with one person having multiple seals, for different purposes.
On the other hand, - if it wears out or part of it breaks, OCR algorithms can flag your hanko stamp and stop a basic transaction. - As a foreigner, you have the right to sign instead of use a hanko, but in use for banking or whatever, it is run through the same hanko verification OCR algorithms, meaning your transactions using signatures are sometimes flagged due to 2 slightly different signatures - A stolen hanko is a real liability risk (this is why you should not use your banking hanko for accepting packages, etc, but rather use a separate one)
> As a foreigner, you have the right to sign instead of use a hanko, but in use for banking or whatever, it is run through the same hanko verification OCR algorithms, meaning your transactions using signatures are sometimes flagged due to 2 slightly different signatures
As someone who was required to sign something at the post office and literally sent home to practice their signature until it resembles one on an almost 10 years old ID, I thing I'd prefer a stamp. I would not get anything done.
Forget the hanko home? Too bad, you’re sol.
Have an generic surname? Be ready to pay for an unique hanko, because the generic ones are sold at minimum for 100¥.
Live as an foreigner in japan? Prepare to write your signature again, again and again as the government official requires all the signatures to look exactly the same.
It’s also easily copyable if you know how the other person’s hanko looks like.
I’m just hoping japanese would move into hand written / electronic authentications. They are much harder to fake and you are not restricted by a small item which you may not always have with you.
It would have been difficult if nobody else had seen his real seal though.