As a freelancer in Japan, administrative tasks can be nightmarish at times. But that statement no longer applies to my taxes. This year, I was pleasantly surprised to discover I could pay them online in a process that took me no more than an hour — easily and securely with the My Number card.
The My Number card is an ID that can be used to pay taxes, apply for government services, print out residence records and more. The Japanese government developed the system as a part of its goal to improve digital services, which lag behind those of many other developed countries. Digital Minister Taro Kono has been especially vocal, encouraging people to move over to the new system with a variety of incentives.
The My Number system, which started in January 2016, issues a 12-digit number to all residents to manage information related to administrative services, employment, pension and national security. Previously, national and local governments managed personal information using separate identification numbers, so merging to a unified, digitized ID substantially reduces the number of documents and procedures.
Actually getting a My Number card is voluntary, so Japanese residents were slow to acquire their cards, primarily concerned about personal information leaks. The implementation hasn’t been perfect, either, as there have been instances of human error leading to My Numbers being connected to the wrong bank accounts.
Nevertheless, acquisition has gone up along with a slew of service offerings, and the population holding a card reached its highest levels yet this January at nearly 70%. It’s not too late to get a My Number card and greatly improve the efficiency of your life in Japan.
What does the My Number card do?
Each resident’s individual My Number is used as identification for a variety of administrative procedures: pension eligibility and claims, employment insurance, medical insurance benefits, public welfare assistance, tax returns and records, and natural disaster countermeasures. For example, the government distributed ¥100,000 in COVID-19 relief based on residents’ individual numbers, so those with My Number cards could apply for the money online as opposed to via mail.
On the surface, the My Number card is a simple ID card with the owner’s photo, name, address, date of birth and gender. As an ID, it can be used instead of a driver’s license or residence card. But because it’s connected with the digital My Number system, it serves a wide variety of functions.
These include using the card as a health insurance and library card, printing out documents at convenience stores that previously required a trip to the ward office like residence records (a system currently experiencing technical problems until June 4), and submitting administrative and government applications online, such as for registering a business, applying for childcare, and even moving to a new address. Japanese nationals can also use it to apply for a passport online.
The My Number card can be used digitally with the Mynaportal app or website. Anyone with a card can download the app, which is used to scan the electronic certificate in the card’s IC chip. By then entering a six-character password or four-digit pin number that you set when applying for the card, the app successfully verifies your identity. From there, you can access the previously mentioned digital services linked to the card on the web.
One of the major reasons the card has taken several years to proliferate is questions about privacy and security. But a number of measures have assuaged concerns. The card’s IC chip does not record sensitive information like taxes, and no central organization has access to all of the services and information that the card offers, so a single hack or data leak would not be able to expose users. The card automatically locks if the PIN or password is incorrectly entered a certain number of times, and a 24-hour hotline is available to suspend lost or stolen cards.
How do I apply?
There are four different ways to apply: on a computer, a smartphone, via snail mail or at an ID photo booth like Ki-Re-I, Nihon Autophoto or Fujifilm.
Applicants will need a photo taken in the past six months and an Individual Number Notice. Residents were sent their Individual Number Notice in the mail starting in May 2020. Those who have lost their Individual Number Notice will need to visit their ward office, as these notices cannot be reissued.
The Individual Number Notice arrived along with instructions on how to apply for the My Number card as well as a QR code. Applicants scan this QR code to access the online and photo both applications. With these two items in hand, applicants can move on to inputting personal data such as name, date of birth and contact information. Applications take a few weeks to process, and applicants will receive a notification if there is an error or changes need to be made. If all goes smoothly, the card will arrive in the mail, ready to go.
The government is currently running a promotion known as "Mynapoint," which gives My Number card recipients credit up to ¥20,000. This money can be received using various cashless payment services, including IC cards such as Manaca, Nanaco and Waon. Unfortunately, there aren’t English instructions for the application, which can be completed online or at ATMs and multicopy machines at convenience stores. Applicants will need to scan their My Number card, enter their PIN number and password, and register their cashless service.
After registration, simply shop using the chosen cashless payment method during the period of promotion to receive 25% of the purchases back as points, up to ¥5,000. Applicants can also receive points worth ¥7,500 by applying to use the My Number card as a health insurance card and points worth ¥7,500 by registering your savings account (public money receiving account) with the Digital Agency.
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