Japan has launched a new digital identity feature allowing residents to store their My Number personal identification cards in Apple Wallet on iPhone. The feature went live yesterday, marking Japan as the first country outside the United States to adopt Apple’s digital ID functionality.
How It Works
The integration allows citizens to complete various administrative tasks without needing a physical ID card. Users can access online government services through the My Number Portal (Mynaportal), print official documents at convenience stores, and verify their identity for municipal or medical procedures. According to Apple, the feature is available to approximately 100 million My Number card holders nationwide.
The service is compatible with iPhone XS or newer models running iOS 18.5 or later. To set it up, users must download the latest version of the Mynaportal app. While key steps are supported with English prompts, the app’s primary interface remains in Japanese. The Apple Wallet portion of the setup is fully localized according to the user’s system language.
Security remains a central focus. Adding the card requires scanning the physical ID, authenticating with Face ID or Touch ID, and granting explicit consent. Only one My Number card can be added per device, and users can revoke the digital version at any time. The system does not currently support Apple Watch integration.
Leadership and Expansion Plans
Former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida celebrated the milestone in a public message on launch day, writing, “Today National ID Card on iPhone launches in Japan… Thank you @tim_cook and the Apple team.” The country’s current Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, has continued to support Japan’s digital transformation agenda, which has been led by the Digital Agency.
Future updates are already planned. By the end of July, the Digital Agency aims to introduce an electromagnetic record-reading function to fully replace the need to present physical cards. Additional capabilities under development include integration with Japan’s national health insurance system, enabling verification at hospitals and pharmacies.
This rollout aligns with Japan’s broader push to modernize its digital infrastructure and follows ongoing initiatives from the government and technology partners. As countries around the world explore digital ID frameworks, Japan’s implementation stands out for its balance of convenience, bilingual accessibility, and strong privacy safeguards.
Sources: Japan Times, MacRumors, Scrmbl
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By Ali Nassar-Smith
