Japan to trial use of ID cards for concerts

Japan is ploughing ahead with a plan to use controversial government-issued ID cards in the entertainment sector.

The government’s Digital Agency will launch a trial later this month to examine whether the use of the My Number cards will help improve the efficiency of identity checks at event venues.

The test will take place with the help of major ticketing agency Pia Corp, consulting firm Dream Incubator and other private businesses on the scheme.

The Digital Agency also plans to conduct a test by the end of the current fiscal year to prevent unfair resale of tickets by requiring identity verification with My Number cards on official secondary distribution sites.

There have been numerous reports of health insurance cards, disability records and bank accounts being erroneously tied to someone else’s My Number ID

However, critics of the proposal say it would make it impossible to purchase tickets for the 40% of residents who are yet to apply for a card and would also rule out those without smartphones.

Introduced in 2015, the card – which bears a 12-digital number – is typically used as a form of identification for pension, tax, and other government functions.

Over the past few months, there have been numerous reports of health insurance cards, disability records and bank accounts being erroneously tied to someone else’s My Number ID. Under pressure to sort out the mess, the national government announced an investigation into the Digital Agency, which is handling the rollout, in July 2023.

While the use of My Number cards is not mandatory, citizens will be forced to use their My Number to access health insurance from next year, as part of a renewed bid to increase the use of the cards.

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