The government plans to allow elderly people to obtain My Number personal identification cards without setting a password.
Internal affairs minister Takeaki Matsumoto announced the plan at a news conference Tuesday, as some elderly people are apparently reluctant to apply for the card out of concern that it is difficult for them to remember a password.
The plan is also intended to ease burdens on staff at elderly care facilities who may apply for My Number cards on behalf of their residents.
From as early as November, elderly people will be able to choose not to set a password when making their My Number cards.
Details on who will be eligible and how to conduct identity checks on those cards are currently being discussed, Matsumoto said.
Holders of the cards without a password, however, will be unable to obtain residency and other certificates at convenience stores or use the Mynaportal web site for cardholders to check the status of their pension, tax and other information.
In autumn 2024, the government plans to abolish the current health insurance certificates and integrate them into My Number cards, while setting a transition period until autumn 2025 during which the existing certificates will remain usable.