Japan opens national ID to integration with digital wallets

Slated for late next spring, residents of Japan with a My Number card will gain the ability to integrate it into their Apple Wallet, as Japan’s parliament passed a law allowing personal information from the national digital ID cards to be stored on smartphones, The Japan Times reports.

Collaborating closely with the Japan Digital Agency, Apple is pioneering the extension of its Apple Wallet ID feature beyond the United States. The integration will enable Japanese citizens to add their My Number card to their iPhones and utilize it securely in various scenarios, either in person or through designated iOS applications.

Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, expresses enthusiasm about the development, highlighting its role in Apple’s broader vision to digitize traditional wallets securely and conveniently. She remarks that the expansion of Apple Wallet ID is an important step in the company’s vision to replace physical wallets with an easy, secure and private mobile wallet.

Revisions to the law behind the My Number system also include the elimination of gender information from the visible fields of the ID cards.

The announcement reignites the speculation that digital currency Jasmy, sometimes referred to as “Japan’s Bitcoin,” could feature on My Number Card, DataConomy claims.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Apple CEO Tim Cook, the initiative to incorporate the My Number Card function into smartphones reflects a collaborative effort between Apple and Japanese authorities. Taro Kono, Minister for digital affairs, emphasizes the significance of this partnership, outlining its potential to enhance the digital landscape of Japan.

Through authentication steps, individuals can access their My Number Card on their iPhones and present it securely in various settings, including hospitals, convenience stores, and government apps such as the My Number Portal iOS app.

The Apple Wallet ID feature adheres to established standards, ensuring the protection of user data and privacy, according to a written release. Encrypted information pertaining to ID presentations is stored solely on the user’s device, in a bid to provide assurances of confidentiality.

Last year, the government agency responsible for issuing the My Number digital ID card in Japan began testing the effectiveness of the credential for buyer authentication in the entertainment ticketing industry.

Article Topics

Apple Wallet  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  iPhone  |  Japan  |  My Number  |  national ID