Which Countries Still Use Fax? Japan, Germany & More

Which countries still use fax? Japan and Germany are two of the best-known examples, but fax also remains important in parts of Europe and Asia for government, legal, medical, and business paperwork. If you're corresponding internationally, understanding where fax still matters can save you real headaches.

💡 If you're doing business with partners in Japan or Germany, don't be surprised if fax is their preferred way to receive documents.

Japan

Japan is famous for its continued reliance on fax machines, even as much of its technology sector leads the world in other areas. Several cultural and practical factors contribute to this:

Fax fits naturally with a business culture that values physical documents, seals (hanko), and formal paperwork
Many older businesses and government offices built their processes around fax decades ago and haven't fully modernized
Fax is seen as a dependable, universally accessible way to reach virtually any business, regardless of what software they use

Germany

Germany also maintains notably high fax usage, particularly for formal and legal correspondence. In many contexts, a faxed document is treated as having stronger legal standing than an email, since it produces a transmission confirmation. German bureaucracy — known for valuing precise, verifiable paperwork — has been slow to move away from a technology that fits its documentation standards well.

Other Places Where Fax Still Matters

Fax is also used for selected government, banking, healthcare, and business workflows in Hong Kong, Israel, Hungary, and France. If you need to reach Japan specifically, see our online fax guide for Japan.

Why This Matters for International Business

If you're sending contracts, invoices, or official documents to partners in these regions, insisting on email alone might slow things down or even create friction. Being able to fax a document when needed keeps communication moving smoothly, without asking your international contacts to change how they operate.

Sending an International Fax Without a Machine

You don't need a fax machine — or to be in the destination country — to send a fax there. Our international fax guide explains how to upload your document, select the destination country, and send it directly, with pricing based on the destination and page count.

Send an International Fax Today

Now sending to the US, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary & India — more coming soon. No account needed. Just upload, select your destination, and send.

SEND A FAX NOW →