The fraud we have discovered so far is likely just the tip of the iceberg.

No one predicted such problems with the MN card. No one. Never. And certainly not on this forum.

A form of identification that allows for all the personal data of a person to be accessible and a country where data security is a joke are two problems serious enough by themselves, the combination of both as it happens in Japan can have terrible consequences.

Who invent MN card again? JGovt.

There are all sorts of things that require a My Number card like gettting a mobile telephone SIM (not a travel SIM), opening a bank account, getting paid by your employer. People need such things, and necessity breeds invention.

As others have said, Japan tends to lack computer security.

the continuing appearance of fraudulent My Number cards.  

Why? When do people even use it?

Just get rid of the whole ordeal.

What has it accomplished, other than causing inconvenience?

shogun:

 When do people even use it?

Go to gainjintraveller

This is one thing where Japan as a society can improve. Ask your ally South Korea and learn from them. South Korea nailed this a long time ago. Every resident in Korea has an ID card and a serial number. With this card you can go from a city to another city to register your new address in the city, without having to go to the previous one to get some physical document. Your residence card also works as your med. insurance card, can get a juminhyo, etc.

But Japan being the "technology advanced" country that Japan is, when they just recently this year moved away from floppy disks and faxes are a thing, where the pension system in one municipality can't access the pension system from the previous municipality. Japan being Japan, 5 years later they still don't know what to do with the dang My Number system.

Also, why did they name it My Nambaa kado when could have just named it Social Number, or Personal ID Number, or Jumin Bango? Why the whole hoops with gimmick names and different ideas here and there but can implement a single one?

Yes, we as a society will always, hopefully, be making changes to improve. But Japan could have done way better with this thing.

The first Social Security Card number was issued in 1936. I'll bet most all American citizens have it memorized. There is no need to physically show a card - I lost mine decades ago - but the ability to produce the number on the spot is sufficient. https://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/firstcard.html#:~:text=The%20best%20we%20can%20say,first%20day%20they%20became%20available.

The forged MN cards do not affect people with real ones. The fraud is against the system and not individuals. In certain circumstances, the PIN and password are required. I never had a problem with MN.

But hang on a sec! My MyNumber card is in a plastic sleeve that has a strip covering the number. Surely that makes it safe! And the elderly man who issued my card to me MARVELED at the cutting edge tech of the card since it has an IC chip EMBEDDED into it! The information isn't stored in a magnetic strip anymore, no sir! It's in a chip! The system is perfect and safe and should only be encouraged.

I don't understand how a counterfeit myna card would work. It's not like a driver's license or residence card, where you just show it as ID. It's electronic, and tied into a national database. If the holder isn't actually registered, how do they use the card?

Got a mail notification that My Number card has just expired and I need to waste half a day to the City Hall to get it renewed.

How tf this card expires?? Guess what, not going to renew it since I don't have either time nor patience to stay on long lines on the City Hall for an useless card, I never use.

DanteKH

Got a mail notification that My Number card has just expired and I need to waste half a day to the City Hall to get it renewed.

How tf this card expires?? Guess what, not going to renew it since I don't have either time nor patience to stay on long lines on the City Hall for an useless card, I never use.

I agree that it should not expire, at least not before one's residency/visa expires. (It's understandable that it expires concurrently with one's residency/visa, though.)

But, it certainly doesn't take half a day to renew, at least not at my city office. It's also been a worthwhile card for me to have, as it allows online access to certain gov't services and conbini printouts of gov't certificates.

The last time I renewed MY Number card it took less than 30 minutes in a local city office. There were no lines. I agree that My Number and the Resident Card should expire on the same date. The Resident Card is a 7-year cycle. I think my number is 5 years.

wallace

The last time I renewed MY Number card it took less than 30 minutes in a local city office. There were no lines. I agree that My Number and the Resident Card should expire on the same date. The Resident Card is a 7-year cycle. I think my number is 5 years.

IIRC, the MyNa card has a 10 year validity. But, the e-certificate, which is the part that allows you to use it for online services, is only 5 years, which is ridiculous. I may be remembering the exact numbers wrong. But, the e-cert definitely expires at shorter intervals than the card itself, which is crazy.

garypen

you are correct.

Resident Card 7 years and must renew MY Number when it's renewed. After 7 years the Resident Card must be renewed and also My Number. They are out of sync.

The electronic MY Number is only good for five years.

wallace

Resident Card 7 years and must renew MY Number when it's renewed. After 7 years the Resident Card must be renewed and also My Number. They are out of sync.

Residence card can also be 1, 3, or 5 years, if it's based on a spouse visa. I imagine there are other durations for other types of visas, as well.

garypen

ok. My Resident card is 7 years until 2029. My Number Card was renewed at the same time until my birthday 2027.

Renew My Number in 2027. Residents Card in 2029 and again My Number.