Digitalization

Japan has introduced a new legal framework allowing education boards to decide on textbook formats for schools.

9 Mwezi wa sita, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

JR East announced a shift from magnetic tickets to QR code tickets starting in 2027. The move aims to cut environmental impact by eliminating the nonrecyclable magnetic layer on existing tickets.

Wenche Gullaksen, a job seeker around 60 years old, describes how the recruitment process in Malmö and the Nordic region has become an extensive and impersonal challenge. In January, she submitted 45 applications, each requiring hours of customized materials and tests. She questions how the system accommodates older workers encouraged to stay in the workforce longer.

9 Mwezi wa pili, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

An opinion piece in Nerikes Allehanda criticizes the digital health service 1177 Direkt for its complicated navigation. The author describes the experience as a labyrinth of checkboxes where options do not match real needs. The article questions the service's purpose and target audience.

Despite new obligations for doctor's offices and clinics, only 3.6 percent of statutory insured use the electronic patient record actively. A survey by the RedaktionsNetzwerks Deutschland among major health insurers shows a slight increase since July 2025. Hopes for stronger usage through automatic filling of the records have not been fulfilled.

3 Mwezi wa kwanza, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

Japan Post Holdings announced on Friday that a record low of about 363 million New Year greeting postcards, or nengajo, were delivered nationwide on Jan. 1, marking the 17th consecutive year of decline and equaling just 74% of last year's figure. The shift to digital communication and a recent postal rate hike are key factors behind the drop.