News My Number Card woes

[thomas]

The problems surrounding Japan's My Number Card system prevail: Kono Taro reported that there had been cases where bank accounts linked to My Number personal identification numbers for receiving public benefits are being registered for payments to family members, not to the card holders.

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.

My Number cards found linked to accounts of family members, not card holders

The Digital Agency has warned on its website that it is not possible to register parents' bank accounts for their children to receive public benefits.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Wrong bank account linked to numerous ‘My Number’ cards | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

I applied for my My Number card at the beginning of this year, had my application returned because the "photo didn't meet the criteria", then resubmitted it in February and haven't heard from them since.

 

[thomas]

The My Number issues persist: some cards were misdelivered to people with the same first and last names.

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."

My Number ID system faces further setback with erroneous deliveries

The cases 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.

www.japantimes.co.jp

And one more thing:

62 disability certificate mix-ups found in My Number system | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Good news: I was finally invited to pick up my My Number card from our local 市役所. To electronically reserve an appointment, you must download an application called "Mynaportal". As they can only serve six applicants per hour, I'll have my card sometime in mid-July. Yay!

 

[johnnyG]

I've had mine for quite a while--even renewed it once, maybe a year and a half ago. (I think after I renewed my gaijin card.)

 

[Master of Time]

There are going to be more technical problems guaranteed.

I sometimes wander if there aren't good people messing up on purpose as a form of civil disobedience and spreading of awareness. This My Number garbage belongs in North Korea or China, not here.

It is extremely annoying how easily and quickly people succumbed to this tracking and government control nightmare that would make Hitler blush, and how they did it for a few discounts.....discounts whose value was way cheap considering the utterly artificially created inflation all us common folk are suffering right now...so the billionaires can have new yachts this year.

 

[thomas]

The Japanese government's handling of the My Number card system continues to attract negative headlines, resulting in a severe drop in approval ratings for PM Kishida's administration and tarnishing the political standing of digital minister Kono Taro who will probably be the fall guy in the next cabinet reshuffle.

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.

Among a majority of the Japanese, the implementation of the My Number card remains unpopular:

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.

My Number woes put digital minister Taro Kono under pressure

Another misstep could deal a further blow to the administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and jeopardize the political standing of Kono.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Kishida Cabinet's approval rate drops to 28% amid 'My Number' fracas: Mainichi poll - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- The approval rating for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet slid to 28% in a Mainichi Shimbun opinion poll over the weekend amid various t

mainichi.jp

 

[musicisgood]

I had one and just renewed it again in March.
Word of advice, DON'T INCLUDE YOUR BANK ACCOUNT ON IT. l refuse to fall for the 20000 yen they were giving.

 

[musicisgood]

Sorry I made a mistake it was $20,000 points not the actual money that was a misunderstanding I thought it was actually money in the beginning and I said well that's pretty cool but then I realized through consultation and the lady reading the fine print it's up to 20,000 points so for me I stayed away from putting my bank number on the my number card and I would eventually we're going to have to because it's all going to be electronic money and it will be dealt with through or my number and America is probably going to be dealt through some kind of social security type number.

 

[Maciamo]

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.

 

[johnnyG]

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.

Try visiting korea--there's saying there about looking at a crowd and knowing that everyone you see is either a Pak, Kim, or Lee.

 

[thomas]

Kono Taro will return three months of his salary as a Cabinet member to take responsibility for a string of errors involving the My Number national identification system.

That was a nice gesture, but he's been the designated fall guy from the outset.

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."

Japan's digital minister to return pay over My Number issues

A series of personal information leaks and registration errors related to the ID cards have heightened public anxiety about the system.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[Petaris]

Hopefully he has learned something and can use that experience to really address the issues.

 

[thomas]

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, approximately 91.36 million My Number cards had been issued until the end of November, covering about 72.8% of all citizens in Japan. Japanese Digital Minister Kono Taro said there would be discussions on making it mandatory to obtain a "My Number" individual identification card in the future.

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."

Japan digital minister hints at move to make 'My Number' ID cards mandatory - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- Japanese Digital Minister Taro Kono said

mainichi.jp

The Japanese government plans to replace the current health insurance card with an ID card in autumn 2024. This is intended to facilitate access to patient data, leading to better treatment and cost reductions in health insurance.

 

[musicisgood]

How can health insurance be cost be reduced when people working for the government get automatic pay raises doesn't make sense at all.

 

[thomas]

It's been decided that Japan will scrap health insurance cards starting December 2024!

Japan to scrap health insurance cards from December next year

The government aims to streamline administration and improve health care services by integrating the function of the cards into My Number cards.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[musicisgood]

I knew that was coming . Now the next thing will be our bank accounts.

 

[thomas]

The first (few known) cases of 'My Number' forgeries have surfaced:

A resident's "My Number" national ID card is suspected of having been duplicated to seize control of their smartphone and purchase a Rolex watch valued at 2.25 million JPY (approximately USD14,000). This marks one of the numerous instances of exploitation in Japan. The use of My Number cards for identification and official transactions is increasing. Nonetheless, Noriyuki Matsuda, a 43-year-old member of the Yao Municipal Assembly, Osaka, was left unnerved as he pondered the reasons behind his selection as a victim of this fraud.

While distributing flyers for his political campaign around 3 p.m. on April 30, Matsuda's phone abruptly lost service. Initially dismissing it as nothing but a connectivity issue, he grew concerned when it persisted into the evening. Seeking answers, he visited a local SoftBank Corp. store around 7 p.m., only to discover that his phone model had been altered without his knowledge.

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.

Man's 'My Number' ID in Japan likely forged to hijack smartphone, buy $14,000 Rolex - The Mainichi

YAO, Osaka -- A

mainichi.jp

 

[thomas]

Starting next spring, holders of Japan's "My Number" national identification card can use their iPhones as a digital alternative to the physical card. This move aims to encourage wider adoption of the system, initially introduced to streamline administrative procedures. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook confirmed this change during a teleconference. It follows the addition of similar functionality to Android smartphones in May 2023.

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.

Apple to allow iPhones to function as "My Number" cards from spring

Holders of Japan's "My Number" national identification card will be able to use their iPhone in place of the physical card from next spring, the government says, as authorities look to encourage the take up of the system that was introduced to streamline administrative procedures.

english.kyodonews.net

​

 

[thomas]

Japan's National Police Agency announced on Thursday that they plan to integrate driver's license information with My Number cards starting in March 2024. This change will simplify procedures for updating names and addresses on driver's licenses. Those storing driver's license information on My Number cards will also enjoy lower renewal fees. Additionally, the agency plans to expand online driver's license renewal information sessions nationwide following successful trials in Hokkaido , Chiba, Kyoto , and Yamaguchi prefectures.

The government is working to eliminate health insurance cards by integrating them with My Number cards in December 2024. However, it's important to note that people can still hold separate driver's licenses. The National Police Agency seeks public feedback on implementing the revised road traffic law from 13 September to 12 October.

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.

https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2024091200833

Driver's license info on 'My Number' cards to be offered from March - The Mainichi

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan is planning to extend

mainichi.jp

 

[Grandpa Frank]

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

 

[Maciamo]

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

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.

 

[Lothor]

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.

Japan does seem to have more problems than most countries with data security, though.

 

[thomas]

The issues with the MyNumber card seem endless:

The Nagoya city government announced on 15 October that 245 residents had their My Number cards invalidated as of the previous day, due to a glitch in the Basic Resident Registration network that occurred in August.

According to the city, the system went down on 12 August during a software update to the Basic Resident Registration network. The service provider made a configuration mistake that temporarily cut off data transfers between the city and national government systems. As a result, information for 245 people who'd filed change-of-address notices for moves between wards in Nagoya that day was not transferred.

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.

'My Number' national ID cards of 245 Nagoya residents invalidated due to system glitch - The Mainichi

NAGOYA -- The Nagoya Municipal Government announced Oct. 15 that the

mainichi.jp

 

[thomas]

The grace period for (paper) insurance cards ends on 31 Juli!

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.

Japanese health insurance cards no longer usable in clinics from August

Patients in Japan will need a My Number card registered for insurance use or a special certificate to receive insured medical treatment.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[musicisgood]

Got mine 2 years ago

 

[johnnyG]

I just got a new paper health card in today's mail ('card' is used weakly--it's more a thick piece of paper). It's about 90x140mm, yellowish, and is titled 医療費受給者証. It's valid for the coming year--till the end of next July. And there should be a smaller, credit card sized one in a day or two, to go with it. There are some benefits to being on this alternate system (see below)--one is smaller co-pay. I think my MyNa would also work at clinics or hospitals, since this data/info is very likely in the system. I have an appt on the 29th, so maybe I'll give that a try. I got this same card a year ago (with the smaller one), and present those when I visit a clinic or hospital.

This is almost certainly due to me being on 後期高齢者医療保険, instead of the regular system for you young'uns.