“My Number Driver’s License” to Be Introduced in 25 on March: One-Stop Address Changes and Online Renewal Courses

The integration of driver’s licenses and My Number Cards will soon become a reality. This groundbreaking change could have a major impact on our daily lives.

Under a new policy announced by the National Police Agency on September 12, the “My Number Driver’s License” is scheduled to be introduced on March 2025. This groundbreaking initiative integrates the functions of the current driver’s license into the My Number Card.

Overview of the My Number Driver’s License System

The My Number Card is an identification card issued as part of the personal-number system introduced in 2016. Various items of personal information are already stored in its IC chip, and driver’s-license information will now be added.

Specifically, the IC chip will store the license holder’s photograph, the license’s validity period, the types of licenses held, and conditions such as a requirement to wear glasses. This will make it possible for 1 card to serve as proof of identity and driving qualifications.

Arrangements are being made for integration procedures to be accepted at driver’s-license centers and police stations that handle renewals. For people who remember their driver’s-license PIN, it would be desirable to make this possible by smartphone.

Under current law, when a person subject to license revocation or suspension cannot be located and the measure has not been imposed, a police officer who finds the person can take custody of the license. From March 24, 2025, this system will be abolished and replaced by a system for issuing an “order to appear.”

Benefits of the My Number Driver’s License

This integration offers many benefits. One especially notable benefit is simplified address-change procedures. Currently, after moving, people must separately notify both their municipality and the police. With the My Number Driver’s License, the municipal procedure alone will suffice.

License renewals will also become more convenient. Safe drivers and ordinary drivers will be deemed to have completed the renewal course simply by watching a course video on the personal Myna Portal website. This will significantly reduce the time and effort required for renewal. However, not every procedure will be completed online. Photography and vision testing will still take place at license centers and similar facilities, because confirming the basic physical abilities needed for safe driving is important.

Adopting the My Number Driver’s License is optional, and the existing driver’s license may also be retained and used alongside it. However, holding only a My Number Driver’s License also offers a financial benefit: comparatively lower fees for initial issuance and renewal.

Addressing Concerns

This change can be seen as part of the effort to make government services more efficient in today’s increasingly digital society. Work is already underway to integrate health-insurance-card functions into the “My Number Health Insurance Card,” and as of the end of July 2024, 80% of My Number Card holders had completed registration.

Incorrect linking

However, concerns have also been raised about such rapid digitalization, especially the persistent anxieties surrounding personal-information management and information security. The government will need to provide careful explanations and sufficient safeguards. Mistakes previously occurred when linking My Number Cards with health-insurance cards. The government must demonstrate that measures are in place to prevent a recurrence with My Number Driver’s Licenses. One measure under consideration is requiring applicants to bring both cards so an official can confirm, in front of the applicant, that the photographs on them match. Whether this adequately addresses the threat requires further examination.

The time required for reissuance after loss

Another concern with relying solely on the My Number Driver’s License is the time needed to reissue it if lost. Drivers must carry a license, so current licenses can be reissued the same day when lost. A My Number Card, however, may take about 1 and a half months. It would be a serious problem if the person could not drive during that period.

This can actually be avoided by having the current driver’s license reissued, although that ultimately takes us back to 2 cards.

Future Schedule

Toward launching the new system, the National Police Agency plans to bring amendments to the Road Traffic Act into force on March 24, 2025. Starting on September 13, 2024, it will also solicit public comments on the new operating method for 30 days.

The introduction of the My Number Driver’s License will be an important milestone in the digitalization of Japanese society. Attention will focus on how this transformation affects our lives.

Reference Articles

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