Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is calling on the government to consider making acquisition of the My Number Card mandatory, a shift for a credential that has been voluntary since its introduction. The proposal was compiled by the party’s Headquarters for the Promotion of a Digital Society and is being submitted to the government for consideration.
The My Number Card is the physical credential tied to Japan’s My Number system, which assigns each resident a 12-digit identification number used across tax, social security, and administrative functions. Obtaining the card has been optional, and uptake has been driven by incentives and by linking the card to services such as health insurance rather than by a legal requirement to hold it.
Under the LDP proposal, the government would consider mandating that residents acquire the card, but there would be no penalty for those who do not comply. That structure stops short of strict enforcement, framing acquisition as an expectation rather than an obligation backed by sanctions. Takuya Hirai, who leads the party’s digital society headquarters, said identity verification is important for the safety of a digital society and that My Number cards will serve as key infrastructure.
The proposal pairs the card recommendation with a call for mandatory registration of bank accounts linked to the My Number system, which the party says would allow faster distribution of subsidies and other government payments. Both measures are aimed at giving the state a more complete and reliable digital identity and payments backbone.
The recommendation is set to be submitted to the government, which is expected to weigh it as it draws up its basic guidelines for economic and fiscal management this summer. Adoption into those guidelines would signal government intent, though making acquisition mandatory would still require further legislative steps.
The push comes as Japan steadily expands the card’s role. The country has enabled My Number Card use in Apple Wallet and is preparing an Android wallet version, alongside an expansion of the card into private-sector identity checks. A move toward mandatory acquisition would mark a significant change in how the credential is positioned, from an opt-in convenience to a near-universal national identity document.
Sources: The Japan Times, The Asahi Shimbun
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
