If you’ve lived in Japan as a foreigner, chances are you’ve heard of the My Number Card. In fact, log on to practically any application in the public and private sectors for anything important, and you’ll find a subsection describing the benefits of using your My Number Card for any type of process. In all of this talk about the My Number Card, it’s easy to get confused about its explicit purpose. It may also be difficult filling out the application, as most of the materials for it are only given in Japanese.
This article will tell you:
- The advantages and disadvantages of a My Number Card
- Where you can get and use one
- How to fill out the application for one
Table of Contents
- Advantages of the My Number Card
- Disadvantages of the My Number Card
- Getting a My Number Card
Advantages of the My Number Card: Cutting through Red Tape
The My Number System was introduced in 2000 by the Japanese government in order to create, in the words of the government, “social infrastructure to improve administrative efficiency, enhance public convenience, and realize a fairer and more just society” (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 2018). Living as a foreigner in Japan, you’ve probably run up against a perplexing bureaucratic system. Especially for foreigners without native comprehension of Japanese, this system can sometimes seem like a hamster wheel.
This is where the My Number Card comes in. While not a be-all-end-all solution to everything, it can come in handy for a lot of situations. The card is almost universally accepted as a photo ID everywhere in Japan, and is especially helpful if you do not have a driver’s license. In addition, if you’re using it as an ID at a government office, you may not have to bring other forms of ID along (e.g. your driver’s license, residence card, passport), making your life a lot easier. In summary, the My Number Card may be the perfect tool for foreigners submerged in the swamp of Japanese bureaucracy.
The primary purpose of the My Number System, however, is to connect social insurance, taxation, and disaster relief systems. Basically, if you owe the government money, or the government owes you money, the My Number System figures all that out. In the My Number System, much like with an American Social Security number (SSN), you receive a unique number which you use to access documentation like taxation and social insurance, online or at a government office. As far as I can tell, you do not necessarily need the My Number Card for these transactions, but they do simplify them significantly.
Disadvantages of the My Number Card: Privacy
You may be surprised to hear that, despite the large number of services that the My Number Card provides, uptake on the cards among Japanese has been quite slow. Why? A simple answer could be that Japanese tend to be very particular about privacy.
It’s difficult to ascertain whether these fears are grounded in real danger. The reality is that the government has taken incredible measures to make sure a cardholder’s identity isn’t stolen. This includes encryption, decentralization of information, and restriction of who can access files. The Cabinet Office has issued a handy pamphlet that goes into detail about privacy measures in regard to the My Number Card.
Most of the horror stories I’ve heard about the My Number Card and privacy violations boil down to either rumors or hearsay. Speaking to other Japanese, these stories are usually from fourth or fifth-hand sources, and I would not be surprised if these stories were made up by rumor-mongers in bad faith.
The reality is that the My Number Card is a safe and convenient way to keep track of important records in Japan. If you are concerned about privacy, feel free to perform your own research on the My Number Card and decide for yourself if it is right for you. Again, the My Number Card is optional so you can go about your life in Japan without it, but you may run into some bureaucratic roadblocks along the way.
Getting a My Number Card
So, how do you get a My Number Card? Well, you’ll first need an “individual number” (個人番号), the 12-digit number that is assigned to you and you only, like a Social Security Number. You can get this by registering your address with your ward office. If you need help registering your address, you can consult The Tokyo Life’s article on “Ward Office and Change of Address” on how to do it. Within a few weeks, you should receive an envelope in the mail containing an “Individual Number Notice” (通知書類 tsūchi shorui). You can use the information on this sheet to finish your application for the My Number Card.
In the past, this would come with a paper “Notification Card” (通知カード tsūchi kaado) which could serve to verify your individual number instead of the My Number Card. The Notification Card was discontinued in May of 2020, in a measure meant to encourage more people to apply for the My Number Card.
Applying for the My Number Card: Different Methods
There are all kinds of different ways you can send in your application for a My Number Card. The first is presented to you as soon as you open the envelope with the Individual Number Notification in it. You’ll find an application for the card and a return envelope already in the envelope.
This is likely the easiest way to apply for the My Number Card, since the application may be already partially filled out with your name, address, and other information. There is also an English translation of the guide and clear instructions for the application if you follow this link to the My Number Card website.
You are also able to apply online, however, this application is only available in Japanese, so if you’re not totally secure with your Japanese ability, the paper form is probably the right way to go. For this article, we’ll show you how to apply with the paper form sent to you in your return envelope, since it’s fairly simple.
Step 1: Get Photo Taken for ID
In order to apply for your My Number Card, you’ll need an identification photo, similar to the one on your passport or residence card. If you look at the English version of the form, you’ll find a clear explanation of the requirements for a passport photo. It may seem like these requirements are kind of strict, but not to fear! There are photo booths all over Tokyo that can print out “identification photos” (証明写真- shōmei shashin), usually in train stations and other public areas. They usually look like this:
*Make sure you have the proper size of photograph for a My Number Card application. Usually, the photos you receive from the booth will print multiple sizes and show which one is suitable for the My Number Card.
Once you get your photos printed out, simply attach them to your form in the top right corner with some glue.
Step 2: Fill Out Preliminary Information*
The basic information required on the form is relatively simple to fill out, but if you have trouble writing and reading your name or address in Japanese, you might need to ask for help filling out some of the form. As stated previously, the My Number Card website provides you with a thorough English guide to filling out the form (as well as information in Chinese and Korean). The basic information you are asked to fill out are all shown on the top left of the form. They are as follows from the boxes at the top to the bottom:
- City or Ward: Just the name of the city or ward where you live (For example: Nerima-ku = 練馬区、Minato-ku = 港区, Takasaki-shi = 高崎市).
- ID Number: This is your 12-digit “Individual Number” as provided in the notification document.
- Name: Your full name. English or Japanese lettering works.
- Address: Your registered address, written out in Japanese.
- Date of Birth: Date of birth in the form YYYY/MM/DD.
- Gender: You can circle either 男 (male) or 女 (female).
- Previous Last Name or Nickname: If you have another name listed on your Certificate of Residence (for example, if you were recently married or if you have a nickname listed on your certificate), list that name here.
- Phone Number: Enter a number with which someone can reach you during business hours. You’ll only get a call if there are any issues with your application.
- Braille Type: This is a box you can check to receive a card with your name in Braille on the card.
Step 3: Residency Status*
For this next part, you’ll need your Resident Card (在留カード- zairyū kaado) to fill in information on your residency status. These boxes are located right below where you should attach your ID photo on the right side of the form. The first box asks you to fill in your residency status. Please note: these statuses listed on your Residence Card may differ slightly from the statuses you are asked to enter on your application. I’ll try my best to explain the categories below if they seem ambiguous.
- 中長期在留者 (Mid- to long-term residents): These include most people with a Resident Card, including foreign students, spouses of Japanese nationals, and people with working visas. Permanent residents who are not special permanent residents fall under this category.
- 特別永住者 (Special permanent residents): This includes residents of Japan who are former citizens through Japan’s former colonial rule, such as Zainichi Koreans.
- 一時庇護許可者 (Persons permitted to enter under temporary refugee status)
- 仮滞在許可者 (Persons permitted for provisional stay): asylum seekers.
- 出生による経過滞在者 (Persons who may continue to stay transitionally in Japan by birth)
- 国籍喪失による経過滞在者 (Persons who have lost Japanese nationality and may continue to stay transitionally in Japan)
Fill out your residency status (most will be mid- to long-term residents) in Japanese in the top box.
The next box asks whether your Resident Card has an expiry date. If your card does not have one, leave this box and the next one blank. If it does, write the symbol “有” for “listed”. The final box asks you to list the expiry date if you have one. Fill out the expiry date as printed on your Resident Card.
*Depending on the ward that you live in, this information may be filled out for you in advance.
Step 4: Signature and Preferences
The next step is to write your signature and the date of the application in the second box from the bottom. You can write the date of the application in the style YYYY/MM/DD first, and then affix your signature on the line below. If you are filling out the application for a person under 15, have them sign the form.
Digital Certificate:
Within this box, you can elect to not receive a digital certificate with your My Number Card. One of the functions of the My Number Card that I have not mentioned up to now is its use for printing documents at convenience stores. You can print, for example, copies of your Certificate of Residence. In order to use the My Number Card for this function, you’ll need a digital certificate. If you are concerned about the privacy implications of the card and of printing official documents at a convenience store, you can choose to not have a digital certificate attached to your My Number Card. There are two digital certificates:
- Electronic certificate of bearer’s signature (署名用電子証明書): Allows the user to register for online banking and file taxes online easily with the information provided on the My Number Card.
- Electronic certificate of user proof (利用者証明用電子証明書): Allows printing of official documents from convenience store terminals.
Both certificates are included with the My Number Card by default. If you choose not to receive one or both of these certificates, simply fill in the box next to the certificate you do not want.
If you’re filling out the application for yourself, you are finished. Confirm that all the information on the form is correct and that the photograph you’ve attached is the right size. Place the application in the envelope that was mailed to you, and send it out. You won’t even need a stamp if you use this envelope.
Step 5 (For Some): Statutory Representative
If you are filling out an application for someone under the age of 15, you’ll need to fill out the bottom section of the form, detailing your information. You can write your name, phone number, and address in the boxes provided on the form. You’ll then be asked to fill in your relationship to the applicant. To help you fill out the form, below is a table of relationship terms in kanji.
| Relationship to Applicant | Kanji |
| Father | 父 |
| Mother | 母 |
| Uncle | 叔父 |
| Aunt | 叔母 |
| Guardian (Family Relation) | 続柄 |
Once you’re done, make sure that all the details you provided are correct, and the photo you’ve attached is the right size. Then you can place the form in the envelope sent to you, and send it as is, without a stamp.
Final Step: Waiting
If you follow the instructions listed in this article and apply for a My Number Card via mail, it’ll take about three weeks for you to receive your card via mail. Over the course of those three weeks, you may receive a call from your local ward office in the event that any information you provided was incorrect or needs clarification. The COVID-19 Pandemic has also delayed the printing of My Number Cards, so you may need to wait a little longer to receive your card in the post. Thank you for taking a look at our guide to getting a My Number Card! The Tokyo Life has various other articles that show you how you can use your My Number Card for ID, such as opening a bank account. Take a look at our Tokyo 101 guides for more help as you settle in Japan.
