The government is set to launch a My Number card feature for the Apple Wallet on the iPhone, it was announced Thursday, following an online meeting between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier in the day.
The announcement comes ahead of expected changes to the My Number Act allowing the integration of card functions, including those related to health insurance cards, into smartphones. The amendment to the act is slated to be passed by parliament Friday.
The feature is set to become available in the spring of next year, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said during a news conference.
¡°With this initiative, iPhone users will also be able to enjoy the convenience of having the card integrated into their smartphones,¡± Hayashi said. ¡°This (the feature) will allow both iOS and Android smartphones to be equipped with the functions of the My Number card.¡±
IPhone users will benefit from the convenience and security of biometric authentication without needing to scan the card, Hayashi said.¡¡
Digital minister Taro Kono and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hideki Murai also joined the teleconference call with Kishida and Cook.
My Number cards can be used for identity verification both online and in person, and are used for various purposes such as administrative procedures, private registrations, hospital visits and library services, as well as during emergency situations. The government is working on plans to expand their use, Hayashi said.
Apple will enable individuals to add their My Number card to their Apple Wallets, the company announced on its website, allowing them to have their identity verified without carrying the physical card around.
Further details on the initiative will be announced at a later date.
The My Number card feature on Google¡¯s Android has been available since May last year. It can be accessed by downloading the Mynaportal app.
According to the Digital Agency, sensitive information such as tax and pension data is not stored on the smartphone, and Mynaportal must be accessed with a PIN number. If an incorrect PIN is entered a few times, the account will be locked on the device.
The agency also said that various countermeasures have been implemented to prevent information theft, such as a function to automatically delete recorded information from the smartphone¡¯s chip.
Currently, the My Number feature is compatible with 200 different Android devices.
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