Do you have my number card?
It was said that the spread was sluggish, but it seems that some local governments have been waiting for several months to receive the application due to the increase in applications.
However, there are many people who have questions such as "Is there any benefit?" Or "Is personal information leaked?"
We conducted a thorough interview to find out the actual situation.
(Political Department, Kango Yagyu, Kanazawa Bureau, Kyota Kamoto, Miyazaki Bureau, Koichiro Matsui)
[
What you
can see in this article]
・ What is the reception desk?
・ What is My Number Card in the first place?
・ Be careful of your "PIN"!
・ What can you do with the card?
・ Is it a substitute for an insurance card or driver's license?
・
How
to apply from now on
・ What happens if I drop it?
What are the risks?
Reception desk where reservations are difficult on Saturdays and Sundays
Sangenjaya, Tokyo.
If you go up to the second floor of the building that is directly connected to the station, you will see a dedicated window for My Number Card.
This window is open on Saturdays and Sundays, and reservations can be made up to one month in advance, but it is said that the situation continues to fill up quickly when acceptance starts.
The first Saturday of February, when I interviewed, had reservations for 150 people.
When I called out to a woman in her twenties who was waiting in line, she said, "My mother recommended me to apply, but I don't know what it can be used for. I'll leave it at home for a while. I will. "
In fact, the reporter (Yagyu) just received the card at this window two months ago.
Last summer, when I was in charge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, I received an application with a QR code at the branch office of the ward office and applied for it on my smartphone.
It was three months later that the delivery information came.
Since the reservation was already filled on Saturday and Sunday, I had no choice but to adjust my work schedule and went to pick it up on weekdays.
At the counter, it took about 20 minutes to complete the procedures such as identity verification and PIN setting.
It takes about 4 months from the decision to get the card to the actual acquisition.
It is said that it is improving now, but it was a frank impression at this time that it took longer than expected.
Will it spread to almost all people in two years?
The number of cards issued nationwide is more than 32 million, and the rate is only 25.3% (as of February 7).
Card issuance began in 2016, five years ago.
In the first year, about 10 million copies were issued, but after that, less than 4 million copies were issued annually.
It wasn't until last year that the grants began to grow.
By applying online for a flat rate of 100,000 yen in cash following the spread of the new corona infection, and by introducing a "minor point" system that returns points worth up to 5,000 yen to those who have a card, the card can be used. The number of people who want to have it has increased rapidly.
As a result, last year's annual number of grants was 11.85 million, the highest ever.
The government has set a goal of "cards will be distributed to almost all citizens by the end of 2022."
In order to reach the target, it is calculated that 90 million copies will have to be delivered in more than two years, and 45 million copies will be delivered annually.
Can you explain "My Number Card" correctly?
Prime Minister Suga has made "digitalization of administration" one of the pillars of his policy.
At the inaugural press conference last September, I mentioned my number card.
"My number card is the" key "to digitize the administration. My number card is indispensable to realize a society where all procedures can be done without going to the government office."
Suddenly, the problem here.
What is the difference between "My Number" and "My Number Card"?
"My Number" is a 12-digit number that is forcibly assigned to everyone who has a resident card in Japan, including foreigners, from babies to the elderly.
The operation officially started in 2016, and it is said that the number does not change even when moving or getting married, "the function of identifying an individual is extremely strong."
Until then, each administrative agency managed personal information with different numbers such as "resident's card code" and "basic pension number", so when making inquiries about information between different institutions, identify the individual. It took time and effort.
"My Number" was introduced to make this more efficient, and it is already being used on a daily basis among related organizations.
On the other hand, the "My Number Card" can be obtained as proof of your My Number.
In addition to the 12-digit number, the card contains the "basic 4 information" of name, gender, address, date of birth, and a photo of the face.
If you show this card at the counter of an administrative agency, you can verify your My Number and identity at the same time, which simplifies the procedure.
So why is My Number Card the "key" for the digitization of government?
That's because the card has a feature called "proof of identity online."
A golden IC chip on the back of the card.
Here, my number and electronic data of "basic 4 information" are stored.
By reading the data on the IC chip using a smartphone or personal computer, you can prove your identity online, and you will be able to carry out administrative procedures without having to go to the government office.
However, when reading the information on the Individual Number Card with a personal computer, a reading machine such as a card reader must be prepared separately.
"PIN" is a habit
Online procedures are performed using a smartphone app called "Mina Portal" or a PC site.
To log in to the "Miner Portal" to prevent misuse, in addition to reading the IC chip of the card, it is necessary to enter the 4-digit PIN that you set when you receive the card.
This PIN is a "habitant", and if you enter it incorrectly 5 times, you will not be able to use the card.
As mentioned above, a uniform benefit of 100,000 yen in cash following the spread of the new corona infection.
The government publicized that "If you apply online using your Individual Number Card, you will receive benefits sooner than if you apply by mail."
However, many people said that they had forgotten their PIN, and there were situations in various places where they were rushing to the window of the local government to reset it.
Furthermore, when resetting, access from each local government was concentrated, and the card system was temporarily down, resulting in a lack of preparation.
What you can do with a card
The reason why the spread of My Number Card has been sluggish so far.
One of the biggest ones is that many people feel that there is no merit to have.
When the reporter himself wrote a manuscript about the Individual Number Card when he was just starting out in the political department, his boss who was checked pointed out that "I don't really understand why the card is absolutely necessary", and I was in trouble with the reply. there were.
Currently, a typical example of what you can do with a card is the "convenience store delivery service."
It is a service that allows you to obtain a copy of a resident's card issued by a local government and a seal registration certificate from a terminal installed at a convenience store.
Some local governments have not yet introduced it, but it is also available on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from early morning to midnight (6:30 to 23:00).
In addition, with smartphones and PCs, although it is still a little troublesome at present, in addition to final tax returns, you can also perform procedures related to childcare such as child allowance and application for admission to a nursery school.
Some local governments offer a service to notify you by e-mail when the time for vaccination of children is approaching.
And if the bill is passed in the Diet, the procedure for moving out and moving in when moving will be greatly simplified.
Currently, it is necessary to go to the window of the municipality before moving and the municipality to which you are moving and submit the documents, but from now on, you will be able to move out online at home.
You will have to continue to go to the local government office for the transfer procedure, but you can save time by showing your card.
Instead of a health insurance card or driver's license
The government plans to further promote online administrative procedures using My Number Card.
However, the number of times I go to the government office for administrative procedures is not so high.
To be honest, this alone is not a positive motivation to get a card.
Therefore, what the government is trying to do as a "next move" is to give the card a "plus α" function.
The first step is "use as a health insurance card," which is scheduled to begin in late March.
By holding the card over a card reader installed in a hospital or pharmacy, you do not need to show your health insurance card.
In addition, you will be able to check information on medical expenses, medicines, and specific medical examinations online.
The issue is how much the installation of dedicated terminals in hospitals and pharmacies will progress, but the acceptance of registrations required for use has already begun at the "Miner Portal".
And from March 2025, it can be used as a substitute for a driver's license.
In addition, the government plans to make it available as various cards such as national qualifications for doctors and nurses, maternal and child health handbooks, etc., and the government says that "a society where various things can be done with one My Number card" ..
Also, in March 2023, the card's "online proof of identity" function is scheduled to be installed on smartphones.
If it is realized, it will not be necessary to read the IC chip of the card with a smartphone every time during the online procedure.
Even in the private sector, some businesses are using My Number Card for online mortgage contracts and securities account opening, and some companies are using it as employee ID cards, but the number is still limited.
If the spread of cards progresses, the use in the private sector will expand, leading to further spread.
The government wants to create such a virtuous cycle as soon as possible.
E-Government Ranking Japan is 14th in the world
On the other hand, in some countries, ID cards with IC chips are pervading daily life.
Estonia, one of the three Baltic states, is a small country with a population of 1.3 million.
It is known for the world's first realization of a so-called "e-government" where various procedures can be performed via the Internet at the national level.
It is said that each citizen has an "electronic ID card" and can perform almost all administrative procedures online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is also used daily for bank transactions and shopping.
In addition, "electronic voting" for elections has been introduced, allowing voting from home or work.
The United Nations publishes a report on each country's efforts toward e-government once every two years.
In the latest 2020 ranking, Japan is 14th.
In addition to Estonia (3rd place), European countries such as Denmark (1st place) and Finland (4th place) occupy the top positions, while South Korea is the only Asian country in the top 10 with 2nd place.
Many of the top ranking countries require their citizens to own an ID card.
Grant rate over 50%!
There is a "secret plan" for the surge
The national average of the Individual Number Card issuance rate is about 25%, which is calculated to be owned by only one in four people, but some local governments have already exceeded 50%.
Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture, has the highest grant rate among the cities and wards in Japan.
The grant rate is 56.1% (as of February 1).
The application rate has already exceeded 70%.
Looking at the changes in the grant rate, we can see that it has increased sharply since September last year.
The priming water was the "distribution of gift certificates" started by the city in June last year.
The "Kaga Support Gift Certificate" was introduced as an economic measure unique to the city following the spread of the new coronavirus infection.
The system is to distribute gift certificates that can be used at retail stores and restaurants in the city for 5,000 yen per citizen, but one condition has been set.
It was "being the" holder "or" applicant "of My Number Card."
Shouldn't it be distributed quickly to those who suffer from corona sickness without any conditions?
Did the citizens say anything against it?
When I asked the mayor of Riku Miyamoto directly, he returned:
"I decided almost at my own discretion. I think I couldn't do it otherwise. At the moment, I don't feel the convenience of my number card, so I'd have to take this opportunity to tie it up. I thought, but there was no opposition. It's zero. ”
So why did you decide to put so much effort into the spread of cards?
The mayor answered immediately.
"Kaga City is a'potential city'. In order to stop the population decline and climb up from the cliff, it will be a highly convenient smart city, where people will gather and companies will want to take on the challenge here. My I think the number card is its core infrastructure. ”
The current population of Kaga City is more than 65,000.
Although it is one of the leading hot spring resorts in Hokuriku, the population is projected to fall below 50,000 by 2040 due to a serious decline in tourists.
I would like to spread My Number Card ahead of the rest of the country, dramatically improve the convenience of citizens' lives, and attract people and businesses.
Behind the "secret plan" was the city's strategy to position the card as a trump card for regional revitalization.
"Miyakonojo method" attracting attention nationwide
Miyakonojo, the second largest city in Miyazaki Prefecture, had the highest grant rate until it was overtaken by Kaga.
The grant rate is 51.8% (as of February 1).
Unlike Kaga City, it is showing constant growth.
There must be a "secret plan" here as well.
When I interviewed the person in charge of the city, the answer was "I don't have the consciousness of doing something special".
However, as I proceeded with the interview, I could see a steady approach that was particular about "residents first".
The pillar is thorough support for applications.
City officials are helping with the application process, such as preparing a tablet device and taking pictures of people who visit the counter.
We also went on a business trip for people who couldn't come to the counter because of work.
Not only commercial facilities, but also companies, public halls, and hot spring facilities.
Nowadays, if there are five or more applicants, they are always there.
Miyakonojo City has been working since the beginning of the card application.
At the root, he said, "let's thoroughly eliminate residents' anxieties about cards."
"It seems difficult to apply" "Isn't personal information leaked?"
Residents' anxieties about the system of the distant existence of the country are endless.
In that case, I thought that "Ora ga town staff" would give me a sense of security.
At first, there was a debate about whether it was necessary to do so, but in the future, we started working in anticipation that it would become a "social infrastructure."
As a result, the gratitude from the residents has become rewarding for the staff, leading to a virtuous cycle in which new initiatives are born.
In order to avoid "denseness" due to congestion at the application counter, we have also introduced a waiting-list reservation system using the communication app "LINE", which is the first in local governments nationwide.
The efforts of Miyakonojo City are called the "Miyakonojo method", and many local governments have inquired about it.
Finally, I asked Mr. Yasumasa Sato, Deputy Chief of the City General Policy Division, who responded to the interview, about the acceptance of "the first place in the grant rate".
"I didn't care because I wasn't thinking of becoming the number one. If it spreads, it can be used as an infrastructure and the degree of freedom to make policies using cards will increase, so I will continue to make steady efforts. I want to go.
”The attitude of“ residents first ”was thorough until the end.
To apply from now on ...
To promote the spread of My Number Cards, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has begun full-scale shipping of applications with QR codes that can be applied for issuance on smartphones to those who have not yet obtained the card.
If you read the QR code, you can apply by simply registering your face photo, etc., without entering your name and address.
In addition, applications by personal computer or mail can also be made using only the application documents sent.
However, when you receive the card, you have to go.
This is because the card has an important function of "proof of identity", so it is absolutely necessary to avoid passing it on to a third party.
Then, at the time of receipt, that "habitant" and PIN will be set.
For the PIN, set a 6 to 16 digit number in addition to the 4-digit number.
If you forget both of them, you have to go to the window of the government office at the moment.
Another thing to keep in mind is the expiration date of the card.
The card has a "10 year" expiration date (from the date of issuance to the 10th birthday) and you will need to go through the renewal process and receive a new card.
Furthermore, apart from that, the function of the IC chip also has an expiration date of "5 years".
In both cases, you will receive a notification when the deadline is approaching.
Doesn't it really lead to the management of personal information?
However, no matter how "convenient" or "necessary for society in the future", if you are worried about information leaks or invasion of privacy, you will not feel like getting a card.
I asked Takayuki Ikeda, the Individual Number Card Planning Officer of the Resident System Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, a straightforward question.
Q: Isn't the My Number system for the government to grasp and manage all personal information after all?
A: When governments and other government agencies use My Number, they are limited to three fields: tax, social security, and disaster countermeasures, and it is strictly legal to know who and how to use it. It is stipulated.
Each piece of information is not collected in one place and managed centrally, but the system is such that only the necessary information is exchanged between related organizations each time it is needed.
Of course, even the government cannot collect or use information without permission beyond the purpose and scope stipulated by law.
Therefore, even if the information leaks to the outside, all personal information will not be leaked in a worm-like manner.
Q: Is there a risk that all personal information will be stolen by being invaded by the My Number system from the outside?
A: Various personal information linked to My Number is managed in a distributed manner by the organization that has jurisdiction over each, so if you want to steal all personal information, you should use each one. It's very difficult to deal with.
We take security measures as much as possible to reduce the risk to zero as much as possible.
Q: If my number card is dropped or stolen, is there any risk of misuse?
A: The card itself contains the four basic information such as name and address, so it requires careful management, just like a driver's license that contains the same information.
On the other hand, even if someone else knows your My Number, which is also printed on the card, your personal information will not be stolen.
Also, the IC chip of the card does not contain sensitive personal information such as tax information, and even if you try to abuse the online identity verification function, it is impossible unless you know your PIN.
Q: On the contrary, is it wrong if the PIN is known?
How to deal with it?
A: It's the same as a bank cash card or credit card.
Therefore, please do not give your PIN to others.
If you lose it, you can also disable your Individual Number Card, so please call the dedicated call center.
The Individual Number Card Call Center is 0570-783-578, and we accept temporary suspension of use due to loss or theft of My Number Card 24 hours a day, 365 days a year from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm every day except the year-end and New Year holidays.
Even though the fields handled are limited, both "tax" and "social security" are personal information with extremely high privacy.
I would like the government to take all possible measures to ensure the security of systems and systems.
Expert "There is freedom not to have"
How do experts see the outlook for the future spread of the Individual Number Card?
We spoke with Shinichiro Umeya, director of the Institutional Strategy Laboratory, Nomura Research Institute, Future Emergence Center.
"The function of the IC chip of My Number Card is an" electronic key "that can never be broken by the current technology, and with the development of technology in the future, online procedures using this function will become the main focus. If
you look at the example of transportation IC cards, the service will expand after the number of users reaches about 30 to 40 million, and a virtuous cycle will be created in which the number of users will increase, so My Number Card is also 1 It can be said that one mountain has been crossed. In the
future, if it is integrated with a health insurance card and a driver's license and becomes a "card that is always in your wallet", the use of private companies will increase. "
On the other hand, Umeya also points out that as long as card acquisition is voluntary, it is necessary to keep an eye on people who do not have the card so that they will not be left behind.
"As the penetration rate of cards increases, the private sector will provide services based on that assumption, and it is expected that it will be inconvenient if you do not have a card, but in the end it is an individual decision," Of course, there is also "freedom not to have". The
national and local governments must ensure that the necessary support is provided in the event of a new infectious disease or a major disaster in the future
.
"
Only with trust in the government
Regarding the issuance of the Individual Number Card, a plan to make it mandatory within the government was initially considered, but it was postponed due to the deep-rooted distrust among the people.
On the other hand, in some countries, such as Estonia and Denmark, the people have accepted the obligation and the digitization of the administration is progressing significantly.
I think the public confidence in the government is also a key to the spread of cards.
I hope that the government will be trusted in addition to improving the convenience and security of the card and making it known.