News My Number Card woes

In the latest stumble for the government's My Number Card system, a large number of cards were linked to a different person's bank account for receiving public money, such as cash handouts. In most cases, parents are believed to have registered their own bank account with their child's My Number Card. Taro Kono, minister for digital transformation, told an Upper House special committee session on June 5 that the government will urge those who made such incorrect registrations to link the card to the rightful owner's bank account. He said a cash handout will not be paid if the bank account registered on the card was opened under a different individual's name. Kono would not disclose how many cards have been linked to a different person's bank account. The bank account linked to the card can also receive other types of public payouts, such as pension benefits, child allowances, welfare payments and tax refunds.

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The My Number national identification card system, already plagued with privacy concerns, suffered a further setback Tuesday after the government reported two cases in which ID cards were erroneously issued to people with the same names as the intended recipients. Although the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said that the cards issued in error were not misused, the cases also highlighted the risk that My Number cards could be abused by individuals pretending to be someone else when applying for social security or state benefits, or when undertaking tax procedures. Those who received the wrong cards were not aware they had been issued incorrectly and only used them to obtain shopping points, offered under the government's program to increase uptake. The government has been promoting the ID cards as the country's "highest-ranking identification card."

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Since the start of the flare-up in early spring, Kishida has largely left the digital agency and Kono at the mercy of public scrutiny. So far, the digital minister has handled the criticism poorly, appearing short-tempered when answering questions about the malfunctions. [...] Kono also reiterated the necessity of scrapping health insurance cards and merging them with My Number cards in the fall of 2024, even after a lawmaker from his own party expressed doubts over the plan in the same meeting. Widely regarded as one of Japan's most popular politicians, the digital minister's reputation among the public is now sagging. According to a poll conducted by the Mainichi Shimbun, 51% of respondents said they had no expectations for Kono to investigate the causes of the My Number issues. Further missteps at this stage could exacerbate his position and prompt Kishida to remove him from his post in a potential Cabinet reshuffle.

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However, surveys continue to show public dissatisfaction with the My Number system remains high. Some 58% of respondents to the Yomiuri Shimbun poll said they opposed the government's plan to scrap health insurance cards and incorporate them with My Number cards. Only a third of respondents said they were in favour of the move. Similarly, in an online poll conducted by the health ministry in May, 56.5% of respondents — selected among those who had used My Number as a health insurance card in the previous three months — answered that they didn't see any particular benefits in the card.

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Maciamo said:

I never understood why a country as populous as Japan didn't allow middle names. There are so many people with identical first and last names in the country that it is bound to cause issues.

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While acknowledging the Digital Agency's "slow initial response" in addressing a spate of registration errors that occurred while linking My Number cards to bank accounts for receiving state benefits, Kono announced he would not resign from his post, saying, "I will continue to devote myself to my duties."

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During a Fuji TV program on 10 December, Kono expressed the view that there could be talks of making it mandatory to obtain the ID cards when there remain only a small number of people across Japan who haven't applied for them, once the government has encouraged people to voluntarily obtain My Number cards by promoting their convenience. However, he also explained, "It is still a bit early to say at what point we will start (talks about) making it mandatory."

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Upon Matsuda's request, the shop checked and found that the procedure to change the model had been carried out at an affiliated store in Nagoya he had never visited, and that his phone number had been taken over. When they asked the Nagoya shop, they were told that the individual who visited the store presented Matsuda's My Number card to prove their identity. Matsuda had his own card in his possession. He had a gut feeling that his My Number ID had been forged, and he closed his own phone and credit card accounts, but it was already too late. Using the hijacked smartphone, the perpetrator had purchased the Rolex online from a watch store in Tokyo's Ginza district. By the time Matsuda found out, the watch had already been handed over at the store. The payment was made in Matsuda's name, and a loan had been arranged. In addition, a total of about 170,000 JPY (approx. USD1,100), including a taxi fare, was spent using cashless payment on the smartphone. Another luxury wristwatch worth some 950,000 JPY (roughly USD6,100) had also been ordered, but Matsuda was able to stop this purchase process.

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Kishida asked Cook to allow iPhones to perform the functions of the My Number card during a December 2022 meeting, government sources said. Under the My Number ID card system, launched in 2016, a 12-digit number is issued to each resident of Japan to centralize a range of personal data, such as tax and social security information. The government says the cards make administrative applications easier for holders, allowing them to, for example, obtain official documents at convenience stores or apply for childcare benefits online. The government is also set to scrap the current health insurance certificates and integrate them on My Number cards in December, meaning everyone in Japan would be required to obtain the cards because the country's health insurance system covers all residents. It also aims to incorporate driver's licenses into the system by March 2025. Nearly 74 percent of the Japan's population has applied for their My Number card as of end of April, according to the government.

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It currently costs 2,050 yen to issue a driver's license and 2,500 yen to renew one, with the fees slated to rise to 2,350 yen and 2,850 yen, respectively, under the amended law. In comparison, the integration of driver's license information with My Number cards will cost 1,550 yen initially and 2,100 yen for renewal. Under the My Number ID card system launched in 2016, every citizen and foreign resident living in Japan receives a 12-digit number that links various personal data such as tax and social security information.

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Grandpa Frank said:

Sounds like a system with a lot of info that could be misused if it got hacked.

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Maciamo said:

Not so sure. In Belgium people have had electronic ID cards with the health insurance card integrated since 2002 and I've never heard of any problem. It's actually very convenient.

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For My Number cards, after submitting a moving-out notice, individuals must file a moving-in notice and start procedures to continue using the ID card within 30 days, or the card automatically becomes invalid after an additional 30 days. The problem was discovered following an inquiry from a resident on Oct. 14. Reissuing the cards requires undergoing the procedures again, which takes about one week to 10 days.

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Patients in Japan will need a My Number card registered for health insurance use or a special certificate to receive insured medical treatment starting next month. The government's grace period for expired conventional health insurance cards will end on July 31. Those whose insurance status cannot be confirmed at the time of treatment will be required to pay the full medical bill upfront, rather than the usual copayment based on age and income. When visiting medical institutions or buying prescription drugs, people who have registered their My Number cards for use as health insurance cards should present either the card or a smartphone with My Number card functions added.

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