About 65% Feel More Secure with Paper Documents: What Documents Do People Insist on Keeping in Physical Form?

Despite the Paperless Era, Many Still Prefer Paper – Here’s Why

We handle various documents daily—receipts, invoices, contracts—in both personal and professional life.

In recent years, the shift toward paperless operations has led to more documents being exchanged electronically. With just a smartphone, you can instantly check usage details or contract terms.

Yet, don’t you sometimes feel that important documents should still be kept on paper?

So, which do people feel more secure with—paper or digital?

To explore this, we conducted a joint survey with Denpyo Koubou, a provider of invoice printing and custom invoice services, polling 500 men and women across Japan on whether they feel more secure with paper or digital documents.

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- Clearly state the source as "a survey conducted by NEXER Group and Denpyo Koubou, a provider of invoice printing and custom invoices."

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Survey Overview: "Paper vs. Digital Document Management"

Method: Online questionnaire

Period: June 22–29, 2026

Respondents: Men and women across Japan

Valid responses: 500 samples

Survey questions:

Question 1: When managing documents such as receipts, invoices, and contracts, which do you feel more secure with—paper or digital (electronic data)?

Question 2: Please explain why you feel this way.

Question 3: Are there any documents you absolutely want to keep in paper form? (Multiple selections allowed)

Question 4: Select one document you especially want to keep on paper and explain why.

Question 5: Have you ever lost or misplaced paper documents, causing stress or inconvenience?

Question 6: Please describe the situation and why it was problematic.

*Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number, so totals may not sum to 100%.

65.4% Feel More Secure with Paper Documents

First, we asked respondents whether they feel more secure managing documents like receipts, invoices, and contracts on paper or digitally.

The results showed that 32.8% said "paper is more secure," and 32.6% said "somewhat more secure with paper." Combined, 65.4% feel more secure with paper documents.

In contrast, 17.8% said "digital is more secure," and 16.8% said "somewhat more secure with digital," totaling 34.6%.

Even as paperless practices become commonplace, many still prefer to keep documents on paper.

So why do they feel this way? Here are some selected responses:

Respondents who feel more secure with paper:

- "I’m afraid digital data could be hacked or leaked." (Male, 20s)

- "As long as I keep it myself, I won’t lose it. There’s no risk of data disappearing." (Female, 30s)

- "I can quickly pull it out and read it instantly." (Male, 30s)

Respondents who feel more secure with digital:

- "I can print it later and keep multiple backups." (Female, 20s)

- "I’m likely to lose paper documents." (Male, 20s)

- "High searchability—documents can be found instantly using keywords like client names or dates. No physical space needed, and risks of deterioration or loss are very low." (Male, 60s)

Those who prefer paper value the ability to keep documents physically accessible for immediate review. In contrast, digital users appreciate the ability to store copies in multiple locations, easy searchability, and reduced risk of loss.

Paper offers the comfort of tangible, visible security, while digital provides the reassurance of easy retrieval and duplication.

56.9% Choose "Contracts" as Documents to Keep on Paper

Next, we asked if there are any documents respondents absolutely want to keep in paper form.

The most common response was "contracts (real estate, employment, etc.)" at 56.9%.

This was followed by "wills and inheritance-related documents" at 45.6%, and "insurance policies" at 43.7%.

Other responses included:

- "Official certificates (family register, residence certificate, etc.)": 40.1%

- "Sentimental letters and New Year’s cards": 35.8%

- "Receipts": 26.6%

- "Invoices and delivery notes": 22.3%

- "Pay slips": 20.5%

- "Other": 7.0%

We also asked respondents to select one document they especially want to keep on paper and explain why. Some responses include:

- "Letters from loved ones—because they preserve memories." (Male, 20s)

- "Receipts. Some people make false claims, so I want proof of payment." (Male, 20s)

- "Contracts. I want to keep them accessible at all times. Opening digital files takes effort." (Female, 30s)

- "Pay slips. Income changes are visible at a glance." (Female, 30s)

- "Documents like affidavits can be useful if disputes arise later." (Female, 30s)

- "Tax-related documents are safer on paper, especially during tax filing." (Female, 30s)

Many respondents emphasized the need for immediate access and the value of paper as tangible evidence. Contracts, receipts, affidavits, and tax documents are often required for verification or submission during disputes or procedures, making paper storage preferable.

At the same time, there’s a sentiment that letters and similar items preserve the writer’s emotions and memories in a physical form. Paper is not only a practical storage method but also holds irreplaceable sentimental and symbolic value.

40.8% Report Having Lost or Misplaced Paper Documents

Finally, we asked if respondents have ever lost or misplaced paper documents, causing inconvenience or anxiety.

40.8% said "yes," while 59.2% said "no."

Nearly two in five have experienced issues unique to paper documents.

While paper offers the comfort of physical presence, it also carries risks like forgetting where it’s stored or not finding it when needed. This contrasts with digital users’ cited benefits of searchability and reduced risk of loss.

Here are some examples from those who reported such experiences:

- "I forgot where I put my My Number card and struggled when filling out forms." (Female, 20s)

- "I lost a receipt I needed to submit to my company, so it wasn’t accepted as an expense." (Male, 30s)

- "I couldn’t find the paper where I wrote my bank PIN, and going to the branch to reset it was a hassle." (Male, 30s)

- "I panicked when I couldn’t find my prescription paper before going to the pharmacy."