According to an article as of 2024/08/30 in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the Ministry of Justice has requested 8.2 billion yen for the introduction of a “Specified Resident Card” that combines the residence card and My Number card for foreigners staying in Japan for a medium to long term.
There are many benefits to integrating your residence card with your My Number Card (hereinafter referred to as Myna-Card). This integration will improve convenience for foreigners living in Japan, as well as streamline administrative procedures and unify information management. Below, we will detail the specific benefits brought about by integrating the residence card and Myna Card from the perspectives of improving administrative efficiency, strengthening security, improving user convenience, and centralizing information management.
1.Improving administrative efficiency
The integration of the residence card and Myna Card will greatly contribute to streamlining administrative procedures. Currently, foreigners must have multiple identification documents in order to live in Japan. Having to have two cards, a residence card and a Myna card, makes it difficult for foreigners to complete various procedures, and the government office also needs to manage these cards separately. However, the integration is expected to simplify procedures and reduce time and costs.
Specifically, when foreign residents use government services, the identity verification process at the counter will become smoother. This will reduce waiting time at government office counters and improve staff efficiency. Furthermore, by integrating the cards, it will be possible to simplify the systems used by government agencies and improve the efficiency of data management. Such effects will lead to significant cost reductions for government agencies.
2.Enhanced security
Next, I will talk about strengthening the security aspect by integrating the residence card and Myna Card. MynaCard is equipped with an advanced IC chip and has multiple security measures in place to prevent unauthorized use. On the other hand, residence cards have similar functions, but managing these cards separately may increase the risk of loss or theft.
By integrating, these risks can be reduced. For example, if a card is lost, only one card needs to be deactivated, which not only simplifies the process but also reduces the risk of fraudulent use. In addition, information management using IC chips reduces the risk of forgery and tampering, and the use of cutting-edge technologies such as digital signatures further strengthens security.
Furthermore, the integrated card can also be used for online authentication, making procedures safer and easier for various services that require identity verification (for example, opening a bank account or applying for a mobile phone contract). This is expected to protect the privacy of foreign residents and significantly reduce the risk of leaking personal information.
3.Improving user convenience
The integration of the residence card and Myna Card brings great benefits to foreign users. The integrated card can be used as an identification document in various situations in daily life. For example, you will be able to handle procedures at banks and post offices, various applications at government offices, membership registration at rental shops, etc. with just one card. This eliminates the need for foreigners to carry multiple cards, greatly increasing convenience.
Integration also simplifies the procedure for reissuing a card if it is lost. Currently, if you lose both your Residence Card and Myina Card, you need to go through the reissuance procedure for each card separately, but with an integrated card, you only need to go through the reissuance procedure once. The effort involved is greatly reduced.
Additionally, foreign residents will be able to use the integrated card to use the various digital services provided by MynaCard (for example, online procedures through MynaPortal and use as a health insurance card). Your quality of life will also improve. This will help foreigners adapt more easily to Japanese society and encourage their participation in society.
4.Centralization of information management
Centralizing information management is also one of the major benefits of integration. Currently, residence card information and My Number information are managed separately, and updating and managing each piece of information takes time and cost. By integrating these systems, this information can be managed centrally, which not only makes updating information more efficient, but also maintains data integrity.
In addition, centralizing information not only improves the quality of administrative services, but also makes it possible to expand the scope of data utilization. For example, by efficiently sharing data held by administrative agencies, it becomes possible to formulate and implement policies more quickly and accurately. Furthermore, by centrally managing the attribute information of foreign residents, it becomes easier to respond and provide support quickly in the event of a disaster, contributing to ensuring the safety of foreign residents.
Conclusion
The integration of the residence card and Myna Card brings many benefits, such as streamlining government administration, strengthening security, improving user convenience, and centralizing information management. This will not only create an environment where foreigners living in Japan can live more safely, but will also contribute to reducing administrative costs and improving the efficiency of society as a whole. For these reasons, it can be said that the integration of residence cards and minor cards is one of the important initiatives for Japanese society in the future.