|
A Hanko is a Japanese signature stamp, similar to the Chinese chop.
It is cylindrical in form and carved on one end with a distinctive pattern;
when stamped in ink, it leaves the owner's imprint. In modern Japan most
people have several; men's are generally larger than women's, and
high-ranked executives generally have larger hanko than their subordinates.
The most secure forms of hanko are used for banking and real estate deals,
while off-the-shelf varieties are used for everyday tasks such as signing
for delivery of packages. For a hanko to be official it must be registered
at the local ward office.
The first evidence of writing in Japan is a hanko dating from 57 AD, made
of solid gold and belonging to the Emperor. At first only the Emperor and
his most trusted vassals held hanko; they were a symbol of the Emperor's
authority. Noblemen began using their own personal hanko after 750, and
Samurai began using them sometime in the Middle Ages; Samurai were permitted
exclusive use of red ink. After modernization began in 1870, hanko finally
came into general usage throughout Japanese society.
The increasing ease with which modern technology allows hanko fraud is
beginning to cause some concern that the system will not be able to survive
for much longer.
Signature stamps are still used widely in culture other than Japan. For
instance, some Israeli companies still require stamps on official documents.
Some say the relative size of the stamp also reflect the rank of the
officers within the corporation.
|
