Japanese Law

Starting in October of 2015, all citizens and lawful residents were issued a number called a 個人番号kojin bangō, which is also colloquially called My Number, even by Japanese speaking people – マイナンバー. The number is basically used as a “unique identifier” in a government database.  This number is similar to the US Social Security Number, the UK National Insurance (NI) number, and the Portuguese NIF number. It is issued by the Japan Agency for Local Authority Information Systems (J-LIS) to all citizens and foreigners with resident status. It is primarily used for tax, social security, and disaster response purposes. The number is 12 digits long and holders usually have it on a plastic ID card called the My Number Card.  How to Get a “My Number” Card If you move to Japan, you will usually receive a letter containing your Individual Number Notice（個人番号通知書） within 2-3 weeks. Once you receive this, you can apply for your My Number Card. You can do this with a smartphone, online, by post, or at your local municipal office（役所）.  You’ll need to provide a passport-style photo along with personal details. You should receive details on how to collect your card within around a month. This will…