Japan incentivizes use of My Number ID card as driver’s license, moves towards mDL

Japan has had a bumpy road with its My Number personal identification card, but despite this has added another widespread practical use for it.

This week the Japanese government announced that the My Number card will function as a driver’s license beginning March 24, 2025.

Drivers in Japan will be able to continue to use a traditional license but will have the option to integrate their license into their My Number cards. They will also soon have the option to use  a mobile driver’s license, according to Mainichi. No timeline has been announced, but Japan’s government is “aiming for the earliest possible implementation” of an mDL, the report states. My Number cards can already be loaded into Apple’s digital wallets.

The My Number card will function as a driver’s license after information such as the type of license is recorded on the integrated circuit chip embedded in the My Number card, according to The Japan Times.

From March 24, drivers will have the option to use only their My Number card as their driver’s license, their conventional license, or both. However, using the My Number card will come with certain benefits.

For example, when changing address, those who use the My Number card as a driver’s license will not be required to follow the standard police procedures as long as they report the change to the local municipality. In addition, the fees for renewing licenses for those using only the My Number card as their license will be lower than renewing a conventional license.

Furthermore, those using My Number cards as their driver’s license will be allowed to take the required classes needed to renew their license online as long as these drivers have no history of traffic violations and are judged “excellent” drivers.

The revised road traffic law pertaining to the My Number card was adopted on Tuesday at a government cabinet meeting, reported The Japan Times.

Previously, Japan’s digital minister Taro Kono oversaw the trial of the Face-to-Face Verification app, which was in response to rising incidents of forged My Number cards, back in August.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  driver's license  |  identity document  |  Japan  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  My Number