Japan tightens rules for remote bank account openings, mandates IC chip-based IDV

Japan will tighten its rules for remote account openings at banks and financial institutions by mandating IC chip-based identity verification starting in April 2027.

Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) said the move is part of a revision to the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds and is aimed at curbing fraud schemes that rely on forged or stolen identities.

Under the new rule, applicants wanting to open accounts without face-to-face contact must scan the embedded IC chip in their My Number ID cards or driver’s licenses.

Currently, online or mail-based applications allow photos or photocopies of ID documents, but this will be outlawed due to the increased challenge of detecting counterfeits.

The new rule is designed to combat fraudulent accounts that are often used in bank transfer scams and telephone banking fraud – known as “special fraud” in the country – being opened under stolen identities.

For those who lack a My Number card or driver’s license, original, hard-to-forge documents, such as original physical copies of residency certifications, will still be accepted for submission by mail.

The authorities have set April 2027 as the compliance deadline to allow financial institutions time to upgrade their digital verification systems. The draft revision, published in February, drew 83 public comments, and the NPA says it is also weighing a future requirement to scan IC-chip data during in-person identity checks.

My Number is now available on iOS

Japan’s digital minister announced that the government is enabling major functions of the My Number ID card on iPhone. The My Number card is added to Apple Wallet.

Since June 24, iPhone users could enable a digital version of the My Number card that allows users to get copies of their public certificates at convenience stores via biometric authentication.

iPhone users can also log in to the Mynaportal website for My Number-related administrative tasks. On iPhone, users can enable a feature to verify basic details, such as name and date of birth, on their My Number card and install its digital certificate function.

This digital certificate function was already available on smartphones running Android.

On Tuesday, Digital Transformation Minister Masaaki Taira demonstrated how to print a residence certificate at a convenience store in Tokyo. Nippon reports he verified his identity using his iPhone’s face biometric function, then held his phone on the multifunctional photocopier.

By the end of May, some 98 million My Number cards were issued. Japan’s Digital Agency is planning to roll out new digital features, such as smartphone support for the My Number health insurance card, to the My Number ID card.

Article Topics

financial services  |  identity document  |  identity theft  |  identity verification  |  Japan  |  microchips  |  My Number