| Document Name: | My Number Card |
| Using Jurisdiction: | municipalities of Japan |
| Document Type: | identity document |
| Eligibility: | Japanese citizens or legal residents with a jūminhyō |
| Expiration: | 10 years from date of issue for residents aged over 20 years old at time of issue, 5 years for digital certificates and minors under 20 years old |
| Cost: | Free |
The, officially called the Individual Number Card in English, is an identity document issued to citizens of Japan and foreign residents which contains a unique 12-digit that serves as a national identification number.[1] Unlike similar-looking identity cards in Europe, the My Number Card is an optional identity document and is not proof of nationality; however, the Individual Number shown on the card can be used when applying for bank accounts and pensions. It is the de facto Japanese equivalent to a U.S. Social Security Number.[2]
The My Number Card stores information such as personal name, photo, address, birthday, and sex. Residents who wish to obtain the card can request an application form from the municipality (via a ward office or city hall) where they reside.
Many countries around the world, including Japan, require residents and citizens to disclose and register their address with the government for various bureaucratic purposes. Many countries obligate that their residents and citizens provide up to date information regarding where they reside, by visiting a registration office or the police within a few days after establishing a new residence. However some countries, like the United States or Canada, do not require their residents or citizens to provide this information to the government, unless they are applying for a passport or drivers license.
In Japan, the resident registry system is called Jūminhyō. For foreign residents of Japan, they are issued Zairyū Cards which contain information regarding their country of citizenship, current working status, and what visa they are on. Both Japanese citizens and foreign residents are obligated to report their domicile to their nearest municipal government office.
In 2002, the Japanese government created the Basic Resident Registers Network (住民基本台帳ネットワーク, Jūmin kihon daichō nettowāku) a.k.a Juki Net (住基ネット, Jūki netto) and started to issue unique 11-digits identity codes at request to people who did not possess a drivers license, but wanted a identity card to prove legitimacy when applying for a Japanese passport, obtaining copies of their family registry, or any other activities that require ID. These identity codes provided information regarding the bearer's name, date of birth, gender, address, and the identity code itself.
By 2003, the Japanese government started to issue a (住基カード, Jūki kādo), which are physical cards with IC chips linked to these identity numbers. Both the Basic Resident Registers Network and the Jūki kādo were negatively received and had widespread opposition from people, political parties, and prefectures. Despite this, in 2008, the Supreme Court of Japan ruled the Basic Resident Registers Network and subsequent affiliations constitutional.
Beginning in 2015 the Japanese government started to make significant steps in overseeing Japan's transformation to a digital economy, and created a new cabinet vacancy for the new Minister for Digital Transformation.[3] Under this new cabinet the Minister for Digital Transformation started to phase out the Jūki kādo system and its 11-digits identity codes, in order to establish a new modern system of unique 12-digits codes, called the . These codes were issued to all Japanese citizens and foreign residents in a unsolicited manner.[4] To advertise the system's introduction, the Government of Japan hired actress Aya Ueto and created a mascot character named "Maina-chan".[5]
Beginning in March 2021, the Japanese government began to issue My Number Cards embedded with IC chips that can double as health insurance cards. These cards can be read by card readers, and in conjunction with facial recognition, give facial medical care providers instant access to patients' past health checkup results and prescription drug history. They are accepted at all medical institutions, and separate health insurance cards will no longer be issued as of December 2024.[6]
The rate of uptake for the cards in Japan was around 25% in March 2021[7] and 40% as of October 2021.[8] The government aimed to have almost all residents obtain the card by March 2023.[8]
In May 2023 an Android app became available allowing people to use their phone instead of their My Number Card.[9] In May 2024, it was announced that, starting in 2025, My Number cards would be available in Apple Wallet.[10]
The My Number Card, although not a required document, may simplify access to certain government services. Not only is it an accepted form of ID across Japan, it can be used to access National Health Insurance, apply for a Japanese passport, open a bank account, and obtain vaccination certificates. [11]
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications promotes a cashless payment card called Mainapoint (マイナポイント) linked to a person's My Number.[12]
The first fraud related to the system occurred in 2015 when an elderly woman in the Kantō region was defrauded of several million yen.[13] The program was temporarily paused in May 2023 due to 13 confirmed cases of another person's information being displayed when the card was used.[14]