Amid questions over Japan’s cybersecurity, just how safe is the My Number system?
With over 80% of the population using My Number, concerns have emerged over the country's all-in-one card and the personal information stored in it.
Recent data breaches exposing millions of personal records in Japan have raised concerns about the safety of the My Number system. This system assigns a 12-digit digital ID to residents, granting access to sensitive government information such as tax, pension, medical history, and family registry records via the My Number card. The Digital Agency claims the system's decentralized data storage across local governments and businesses makes it secure, as attackers would struggle to access vast amounts of personal data in a single breach, unlike centralized systems. The My Number system also adheres to an internationally recognized security standard.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
