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Frequently Asked Questions: Protection of Personal Information

Last Updated:
  • Q & A will be added as needed.
  • At the end of each answer, it is written as (answer in X, 20 xx). There is one before August 2021, but this was answered on the Digital Agency website before Cabinet Office was established.

Q5-1 Is there a possibility that everything from the IC chips in My Number Card (Individual Number Cards) to medical information (medical history, medication, etc.) will be leaked?

A5-1

Highly private information such as tax, pension, and medical history is not recorded in the My Number Card IC chips, so this information cannot be identified from the card. The information that is recorded is limited to the information on the face of the card and the electronic certificate of the Public Personal Authentication .
(Answer in September 2015)

Q5-2 Is it true that the national government will unify the management of personal information?

A5-2

With the introduction of My Number System, information will not be "centrally managed." In terms of information management, personal data that used to be managed by each organization will continue to be managed by that organization, and a "distributed management" mechanism will be adopted to exchange necessary information only when necessary. No specific common database will be created, so information will not be leaked from such places.
(Updated December 2022)

Q5-3 Isn't there a case where My Number is also leaked?

A5-3

My Number System is taking various safety control measures in terms of both systems and systems. Specifically, in addition to making it impossible to complete procedures with My Number alone in the first place, we are implementing distributed information management, system access control, and encryption of communications.

In addition, a highly independent third party organization (Personal Information Protection Commission) will monitor and supervise, and severe penalties will be applied if they intentionally provide personal information including My Number.
(Answer in February 2016)

Q5-4 If my My Number is leaked, is there a possibility that my personal information will be leaked in a string?

A5-4

In My Number System, personal data will never be managed in one common database. For example, information on national taxes will be managed at the Tax Office, information on child allowances and public assistance will be managed at each municipality, information on pensions will be managed at the pension office, and so on. Information will continue to be managed in a decentralized manner.

In addition, information is exchanged between government offices not by My Number but by a code (encrypted code) that is different for each government office and can be checked only within the system, so even if a leak occurs in one office, it will be blocked from other offices. Even if personal information including My Number is leaked at one location, the system is such that personal information cannot be extracted in a linear fashion.
(Answer in December 2015)

Q5-5 I have heard that identity theft has occurred in the US and ROK, but isn't there a possibility that the same kind of damage will occur in the Japanese My Number System?

A5-5

In the U.S., there are cases of fraudulent pension receipt and tax fraudulent refund using other people's social security numbers. In South Korea, there are cases of people illegally obtaining other people's resident registration numbers and registering for online games from overseas. It is thought that these cases occurred because there are no restrictions on the use of numbers in both countries, and identity verification can also be done only with numbers.

In light of these overseas cases, the Japanese My Number System has restricted the scope of use of My Number in laws and regulations and ordinance, and has also mandated strict identity verification when using My Number. In the unlikely event that My Number is leaked, the procedure cannot be completed with My Number alone, so it will not be misused.
(Updated June 2023)

Q5-6 What is "Specific Personal Information" and "Specific Personal Information File" in the My Number Act?

A5-6

"Specific personal information" refers to personal information that contains My Number (Individual Number) or a code corresponding to My Number. A code corresponding to My Number refers to a number or symbol other than the resident register code that corresponds to and is used in place of the My Number. If a regularly converted My Number is leaked, there is the same risk as if the My Number itself was leaked. Therefore, it is handled in the same manner as the My Number.

In addition, a "Specific Personal Data File" is a Personal Data File that contains the My Number or a code corresponding to the My Number. In private sector, a Personal Data File has the same meaning as a "Personal Data Database, etc." stipulated in the Personal Information Protection Act.
(Answer in July 2014)

Q5-7 What is the relationship between the My Number Act and the Personal Information Protection Act?

A5-7

The Act on the Protection of Personal Information also applies to Specific Personal Information, as it is a part of Personal Information. Furthermore, since there is a risk that Specific Personal Information may be subject to name-based aggregation based on the My Number system, stricter protection measures than the Personal Information Protection Act are added to the My Number system.
(Updated November 2017)

Q5-8 What should I be aware of when handling my My Number?

A5-8

Please refrain from providing your My Number to a third party without reason.

In procedures such as notification and use of My Numbers and issuance of My Number Card, administrative agencies and other organizations will never ask for account numbers, account PINs, income or asset information, family members, pension or insurance information, or request money or cash cards. We will never ask you to operate a bank ATM.

Be sure not to answer any phone calls, letters, e-mails, or visits of this nature.
(Updated June 2023)

Q5-9 Can't I collect someone else's My Number?

A5-9

It is prohibited to request the provision of My Number of another person (a person who does not belong to the same household as oneself), or to collect and store Specific Personal Data (see Q5-6) including My Number of another person, except in cases where it is necessary for administrative procedures prescribed by laws and regulations or ordinance, such as social security system, tax system, disaster response, etc., even with the consent of the person.
(Updated June 2023)

Q5-10 What kind of penalties are there in the My Number Act?

A5-10

Under the My Number Act, there are more types of penalties and heavier statutory penalties than under the Personal Information Protection Act. Specifically, these are as follows.
(Answer in July 2014)

Cases in which the actors are limited to national administrative organs and employees of local governments, etc.

  • Primary parties: Parties engaged in or formerly engaged in information coordination and operation of the information provision network system
  • Act: Divulging or misappropriation of secrets obtained in relation to information coordination and information provision network system operations
  • Statutory penalty: Imprisonment with work for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than 1.5 million yen (may be imposed cumulatively)
  • Subject: Officers and employees of the national government, local governments, Japan Agency for Local Authority Information Systems, etc.
  • Act: Abuse of authority to collect documents, etc. in which Specific Personal Information belonging to an individual's secret is recorded for purposes other than duties
  • Statutory punishment: Imprisonment with work for not more than two years or a fine of not more than one million yen

Initiatives that can be led by private sector and individuals

  • Subject: A person who is or was engaged in office work using the Individual Number or office work related to the Individual Number
  • Act: Provision of Specific Personal Information Files containing personal information handled in the course of business without justifiable grounds
  • Statutory penalty: Imprisonment with work for not more than 4 years or a fine of not more than 2 million yen (may be imposed cumulatively)
  • Subject: A person who is or was engaged in office work using the Individual Number or office work related to the Individual Number
  • Act: Providing or misappropriating My Number, which was learned in the course of business, for the purpose of seeking wrongful gain for oneself or a third party
  • Statutory penalty: Imprisonment with work for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than 1.5 million yen (may be imposed cumulatively)
  • Principals: Unlimited
  • Act: Obtain an My Number by deceiving, assaulting, or threatening a person, stealing property, entering a facility, engaging in unauthorized access, etc.
  • Statutory penalty: Imprisonment with work for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than 1.5 million yen
  • Principals: Unlimited
  • Act: To receive delivery of My Number Card by deception or other wrongful means
  • Statutory punishment: imprisonment with work for not more than six months or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen
  • Subject: A person who has violated the provisions of the laws and regulations Metropolitan Government
  • CONDUCT: Violated Personal Information Protection Commission orders.
  • Statutory punishment: Imprisonment with work for not more than two years or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen
  • Subject: A person who has been requested by Personal Information Protection Commission to submit a report or materials, has been questioned, or has undergone an on-site inspection
  • Acts: Making false reports, submitting false materials, refusing to answer questions or inspections, obstructing inspections, etc.
  • Statutory penalty: Imprisonment with work for not more than one year or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen

* In addition, it also stipulates penalties for crime committed outside Japan and a provision for double punishment.