In Japan, a hanko serves a similar purpose to a handwritten signature. A hanko is a physical stamp that is pressed into an ink pad and then onto a document to signify approval or consent. It is used for various official and non-official purposes, from acknowledging receipt of a package to signing contracts. The hanko typically contains the user's surname in Kanji, Katakana, or sometimes even in Roman characters.
While signatures are used widely in many parts of the world, the traditional Japanese system has relied on the hanko for similar purposes.