Japanese 'My Number Card' Digital IDs Coming to Apple's Wallet App - MacRumors
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Japanese 'My Number Card' Digital IDs Coming to Apple's Wallet App

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Apple today announced that support for national My Number Card IDs in Japan will be coming to Apple's Wallet app "late next spring," marking the first expansion of digital IDs in Apple Wallet beyond the United States [Google translation].

apple wallet japan
Over 100 million Japanese residents currently have My Number Card IDs, which enable them to receive services at over 60,000 convenience stores around the country, through online portals, and in other settings such as hospitals and government agencies.

"The deployment of Apple Wallet's ID feature outside the United States is an important step in our vision of replacing traditional physical wallets with easy, secure, and private mobile wallets. We will make the My Number Card available in Apple Wallet from the second half of next spring, and we will present your ID while making full use of the security and privacy protection features built into the iPhone. We are very pleased to provide a convenient and convenient way for everyone living in Japan," said Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.

Once loaded into Apple Wallet, a user's My Number Card can be accessed within the app by authenticating with Face ID or Touch ID, and the ID can then be presented either face-to-face or to a card reader, enabling access to medical services, governmental services, and more.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed My Number Card integration during one of Cook's trips to Japan back in late 2022. At the time, Cook said Apple had some concerns over user privacy and security around the IDs, but it appears those concerns have been satisfied to a sufficient enough degree that Apple is now on board with supporting the IDs in its centralized Wallet app.

Tag: Japan

Top Rated Comments

junior Avatar
junior
24 months ago

Woah where are the people who complained about privacy and government using a standard id to track its citizens.

Oh it’s Japan, we are good
I live in Japan and hate My Number system. Big brother is here to stay in Japan.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iGeneo Avatar
iGeneo
24 months ago
Congrats to them.. We need more US states on board. California of all places should have been there long ago, instead we have another app that doesn't really work all that well and no Wallet support
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
entropys Avatar
entropys
24 months ago
I can understand some of the concerns of a digital id, even though its convenience is right up there. Like all things, they can be used for good or ill. The risk of digital ids, particularly if linked to $ in a cashless society (heck I just carry my phone with me these days and leave the wallet at home), is that it means eventually governments have the ability to unperson you.

you might want to poo poo that risk, but it is real. Imagine what countries behind the iron curtain would have been like if they had that power. Heck look at China and its nascent social credit system. Don’t think it can never happen here.

PS, on the upside, a digital Id would be useful when turning up to vote. (Ducks).
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
Jim Lahey
24 months ago
"I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid you can't buy that."
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
H
hakuryuu
24 months ago
I live in Japan and while this sounds convenient (and is probably more secure than the physical card), the My Number system is, as others have alluded to, not great. Aside from concerns with what the government wants to do with the data it provides access to, the data security implementation around the system is awful. So before you say how great a single national ID for everything sounds, maybe look into the risks associated with such a thing in the case of a security incident. Japan also happens to have some of the worst digital security amongst developed nations and that's not just the public sector, but the private sector as well.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shirasaki Avatar
Shirasaki
24 months ago

National Digital ID card makes so much sense. Hope US implements it.
Yeah, if only US could force the issue of introducing a national ID that’s not a drivers license.
Imagine a world where day to day activities you don’t need to carry a physical ID card to prove your basic identity.

Theoretically it’s easy, since Social Security Numbers exist.
While yes, a universal ID for every citizen regardless of age could solve many problems. But nah…”freedom!”
And we are here today.
Safe to say the meaning of freedom has been substantially misunderstood.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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