My Number — マイナンバー
Also called: Individual Number (個人番号, kojin bangō)
A 12-digit ID number issued to all citizens and residents of Japan, including foreign residents of Japan.
If you have a Resident Card in Japan, you also have an individual number, but you are not automatically issued a My Number card.
Starting in January 2016, an Individual Number has been required for various procedures related to social security, tax, and natural disaster countermeasures. For these procedures, you have to provide your Individual Number, as well as proof of identity (such as driver’s license).
The My Number system was basically implemented as part of a larger effort to unify the social security, tax, and other administrative systems into one system, with a single identifying number for each resident.
What are the benefits of having a My Number card?
In addition to serving as an accepted form of ID in Japan, the benefits, as explained by the government’s My Number official site is that it can also be used:
- As identification for online applications for various administrative procedures
- As a seal registration card, a library card, a health insurance card, and as a multi-purpose card for a wide range of public services. Depending on the municipality only some of these benefits may be available. The roll out of the health insurance card function has also been postponed, as of March 2021.
- For various private on-line transactions
- Obtaining various government documents at convenience stores, so that you don’t have to go to the city or ward office
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