Trending: Holy fax! Why is Japan still tied to this old thing?

There was us thinking that the only people still using fax machines were tardy football administrators on transfer deadline day. Not so! The Washington Post reported with glee last week the news that in Japan, a staggering 59 per cent of homes (homes!) have a fax. They're used for sending party invites, bank files and as an email alternative. In short, the country that gave the world the the CD, the Game Boy and countless other innovations seems to think it's a paper-supply office in Harlow, circa 1993.

Japan isn't the only country holding out on the fax, though. Figures suggest that the US has 55 of the machines per 1,000 people. Germany has 45/1,000. And Britain's still not rid of them, with 25 out of 1,000 of us able to fax each other. If we're not too busy playing with our Walkmans.