From a Japanese Company to the Post Office Scandal: Unveiling Fujitsu's Involvement

Fujitsu, a Japanese company known for producing laptops, has found itself at the center of the Post Office's IT scandal in the UK. The scandal involved faulty accounting software called Horizon, developed by Fujitsu, which falsely made it seem like money was missing from Post Office branch managers' sites. More than 700 managers were convicted as a result. Surprisingly, few people in Japan are aware of the Horizon scandal, with even Fujitsu executives in Tokyo admitting they know nothing about it. The relationship between Fujitsu and the UK goes back to the acquisition of International Computers Limited (ICL), the company that developed the Horizon software, in the 1990s. Despite the scandal, Fujitsu's products are still heavily used in the UK government's IT infrastructure, and the company continues to win government contracts. However, this is not the first time Fujitsu-developed software has caused problems for the UK government. In the past, the company's software for the NHS and the court system has faced delays and financial issues. Fujitsu's involvement in controversies extends to its home market as well, with glitches in ATMs and trading systems. Critics argue that the company's business model, which heavily relies on outsourcing and multiple layers of vendors, has contributed to the quality issues of its products. Nevertheless, Fujitsu's strong relationship with the government has allowed it to remain a major player in both the public and private sectors. However, as calls for more agile and diverse companies gain traction, the government's preference for established giants like Fujitsu may be changing.