When I signed up for NTT East to get my internet started ~ 5 or 6 years ago (sonet, my previous provider, can go to hell), I was required to fill out a form and fax it. No email, no taking it somewhere, it had to be faxed. It was a giant pain.

That said, things are getting better (which I define as not requiring faxes). Companies putting all their eggs in one basket is a different problem, but Japan is generally dogshit at IT. My information has been leaked once or twice a week for the last few months because of awful security procedures.