The idea of student discount services using digital student IDs has been under discussion for quite some time. People around me have been discussing it with the National Institute of Informatics (NII) as part of the Student Identity Trust Framework since at least 2012.
- Overview and Future Outlook of Trust Framework for Student IDs (2012.5)
- A new era of inter-university collaboration opened up by the academic authentication federation (2012.12)
- A new era of collaboration between the GakuNin system and student discount services: A trust framework makes student life more convenient and safe (2016.10)
The technology announced this time is along these lines, incorporating My Number cards, digital authentication apps, Microsoft Authenticator and VC as implementation technologies. In a sense, by using the analogy of paper and cards, it may have become easier to understand from a general experience perspective. Below is an overview.
Overview
JR West and the Digital Agency conducted a demonstration experiment at Osaka Station using My Number cards to verify student enrollment. This experiment aims to improve convenience and operational efficiency by having students obtain digital student enrollment certificates online and then use their My Number cards to verify their identity when purchasing digital train tickets, eliminating the need to present a paper student enrollment certificate at the counter. The experiment also aims to link services provided by the National Institute of Informatics (NII) with JR West's digital platform "WESTER," and to apply the technology to other public institutions and services in the future.
The main items announced were as follows:
1. Digitization of student enrollment certificates using My Number cards
- Previously, students were required to present a paper certificate of student status at the station ticket counter when purchasing a student discount ticket.
- In this demonstration experiment, students will obtain a digital student certificate online and use their My Number card to verify their identity, completing the process online.
- The Nikkei article included a photo of the demonstration experiment, showing "an online ticket purchased after verifying student status using a My Number card."
- According to a press release from JR West, students will first download a "digital authentication app" and "Microsoft Authenticator" to their smartphones, then obtain proof of student status through their university's web system and link this to Microsoft Authenticator.
The detailed flow is shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: JR West Press Release
- Digital authentication app1"Microsoft Authenticator"2Download to your smartphone
- Students log in to the university's web system and obtain student enrollment information provided by the National Institute of Informatics (NII).
- The acquired student ID information is linked to Microsoft Authenticator and stored on the student's smartphone.
- JR West's electronic ticket sales platform "Town Friends PassportLog in to " with the digital authentication app
- A "digital authentication app" is launched, which reads the student's My Number card to authenticate them, and MAB3 Confirm that the information registered on the website is the same as your personal information.
- When purchasing a student-only discount ticket displayed on the "Machi no Otomo Passport," the system works with Microsoft Authenticator to verify that the person authenticating with MAB is a student.
- Get a student-only ticket
However, the relationship is still unclear, so I used my imagination to draw a simplified sequence diagram (Figure 2).
Figure 2: JR West - Digital Agency Demonstration Experiment Sequence Diagram
Here are some things that personally caught my attention:
- Compared to using so-called federated authentication (SAML or OpenID Connect), steps 3 and 6 have been added in Figure XNUMX. In exchange, the university will not know where the student used the student discount. (In other words, if it is OK for the university to know, this step can be omitted.)
- This press release does not reveal how the issued student certificate will be revoked. (It is important to be careful because depending on how it is done, the university may be able to know how the certificate was used. It is likely that the VC Status List will be used.)
- They are using so-called attribute-based name matching. For this purpose, they are using My Number cards and digital authentication apps. (In the first place, if they were to trust the certificate issued by the university, the four basic pieces of information from My Number cards would be unnecessary. If they were to do it just once per person, the value of the user identifier issued by the digital authentication app (
subvalue) should be enough. If we ignore cases where a student belongs to multiple schools as an exception, we shouldn't even need that.
2. Purchase student discount tickets online and pass through ticket gates using facial recognition
- In the demonstration experiment, a student from Osaka University used a digital ticket purchased by him to pass through the ticket gate using facial recognition.
- Yuya Takeuchi, a graduate student at Osaka University, commented on the convenience of the system, saying, "Everything was done online, so I was able to pass through the ticket gates smoothly."Nikkei Shimbun).
■ I'm not sure what steps are taken to obtain the facial image used for facial recognition, so I would like to ask about that.
3. Collaboration among related organizations
- This demonstration experiment was selected by JR West as part of a public project by the Digital Agency, and was conducted using the digital student certificate issuance service provided by the National Institute of Informatics (NII).
- Nobuyuki Kishi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Digital Agency, said, "We would like to aim for application at multiple universities and public institutions in the future," suggesting the importance of collaboration.Nikkei Shimbun).
4. JR West's Goals and Future Outlook
- In addition to streamlining counter operations, JR West wants to "deepen its services by increasing contact points with students and other young people" (Hideo Okuda, General Manager of JR West Digital Solutions Division,Nikkei Shimbun) I believe that.
- We aim to fully start using My Number cards to verify student status with Osaka University as early as early 2026.
- In the future, the company is also considering expanding services through collaboration with the JR West Group common ID "WESTER."
- Mobile watchThe article explains that this pilot project was "chosen as a representative example, given that many student certificates are still issued on paper at present," and it appears that the company is also considering expanding the system to universities across the country and applying it to other qualification information.
- JR West Press ReleaseThe city has announced plans to collaborate with Osaka University in 2025 to improve the scheme to make it easier for students to understand and use.
- In the long term, we are looking at using it in a wide range of areas, not just transportation, such as rental cars, buses, airline tickets, and museums.Mobile watch).
5. Use of the "Mobility Auth Bridge (MAB)" Technology Platform
- According to a press release from JR West, this demonstration experiment utilizes an ID infrastructure called "Mobility Auth Bridge (MAB)," which is also being introduced in KANSAI MaaS.
- MAB is a secure ID service that allows users to use a variety of services with a single ID, with their consent. It was developed by JR West with the support of NTT Communications and Itochu Techno-Solutions as an essential infrastructure for a digital society.
- By utilizing MAB, it will be possible to collect and utilize individual customer data for digital services, which is also expected to contribute to the local community.
6. Contribution to SDGs
- In a press release from JR West, it was stated that this initiative will contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, particularly "3. Good health and well-being for all," "9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote industry and innovation," "11. Sustainable cities and towns, and promote peace and prosperity," and "17. Partnerships to achieve the goals."
引用
- (Yuya Takeuchi) "Everything was done online and I was able to go through the ticket gate smoothly."Nikkei Shimbun）
- (Minister of State for Education and Research Nobuyuki Kishi) "In the future, we would like to aim for this to be applied at multiple universities and public institutions."Nikkei Shimbun）
- (Hideo Okuda, Executive Managing Director of JR West) "We want to deepen our services by increasing contact with students and other young people."Nikkei Shimbun）
- (JR West Press Release) "We have developed a trial scheme that allows you to complete everything from identity verification to student discounts online."
- (Mobile watch) "By using your My Number card, you can prove your identity."
- (Mobile watch) "In the future, we are considering expanding this system to universities across the country and applying it to other qualification information such as diplomas and transcripts."
- (JR West Press Release) "If users agree, it is a secure ID service that allows them to use a single ID to access a variety of services provided by local governments and companies participating in MAB."
Conclusion
The pilot project by JR West and the Digital Agency to use My Number cards to prove student status suggests the possibility of greatly contributing to improved convenience for students and improved operational efficiency for railway operators. Digital student certificates, online purchase of student discount tickets, and smooth ticket gate passage using facial recognition present the next generation of public transportation usage. Based on the results of the pilot project, it is expected that the system will be rolled out nationwide and applied to other fields. In addition, the use of MAB as a technical platform has the potential to promote collaboration with various local services and contribute to the realization of a more convenient and prosperous society.
(Appendix) Sequence diagram code
title JR West - Digital Agency Demonstration Experiment Conceptual Image
Participant as student
Participant Browser as UA
participant wallet as W
Participant University as NII
Participant Digital Authentication Application Server as D
participant digital authentication app as Dc
participant MAB as Mobile Auth Bridge
Participant ticket site as T
autonumber on
U–>UA: Student certificate request
UA->NII: Student certificate issuance request
NII->UA: Login screen display
U–>UA: Enter login information
UA->NII: Login information
NII->NII: Check login information
NII->UA: MS Authenticator call + token
UA->W: Invoke, Token
W->NII: Student certificate acquisition w/token
NII->W: Certificate of enrollment
U–>UA: Ticket site access
UA->T: Access
T–>MAB: Authentication request to MAB
MAB–>UA: Login screen
UA–>U: Login screen displayed
U–>UA: Select Authentication with Digital Authenticator App
UA->MAB: Notification of selection result
MAB–>UA: Redirect
UA->D: User authentication request
D–>UA: Digital authentication app launch
UA->Dc: Start
Dc–>U: Request for presentation of My Number card
U–>Dc: Show your My Number card
Dc->D: Scan results displayed
D->D: Scan result verification
D–>UA: Redirect w/code
UA->MAB: code presentation
MAB->D: show code, client assertion
D->MAB: 4 information returned
MAB->MAB: Confirm that the above 4 pieces of information registered in MAB are the same
MAB->T: OK
T–>UA: Show ticket list
UA–>U: Display
U–>UA: Ticket selection
UA->T: Ticket selection
T–>UA: Student Status Request
UA->W: Startup + student enrollment request
W–>U: Request for permission to show proof of student status
U–>W: Allowed
W–>UA: Student certificate
UA->T: Certificate of enrollment
T->T: Eligibility verification
T–>UA: Purchase success indication
footnote
- An app that makes identity verification using My Number cards safe and easy. Provided by the Digital Agency. Uses OpenID Connect.
- A free app provided by Microsoft that helps you sign in to all your accounts without using a password. It is often used to issue one-time passwords. It can also store verifiable credentials.
- Mobility Auth Bridge. If users agree, this is a secure ID service that allows them to use various services from local governments and companies participating in MAB with a single ID. JR West, which supports the regional infrastructure, has received support from NTT Communications Corporation (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Katsushige Kojima) and ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Tatsushi Shingu) and is the first domestic railway operator to offer infrastructure necessary for a digital society as a service. With a user-first philosophy in mind, users can use a single ID to select various services anywhere, making travel and life more convenient and profitable. In addition, local governments and companies that introduce MAB can collect and utilize individual customer data for digital services, which allows them to contribute to the region by creating new value through data-informed data.