Deadline 30 Sept 2026 — Digital Agency public comment on the order and card technical standards
On 31 August 2026 the Digital Agency published two draft amendments under the My Number Act (Act on the Use of Numbers to Identify a Specific Individual in Administrative Procedures) and opened a public comment period. The two items are: (1) a draft order partially amending the order on individual numbers, individual number cards and the provision of specific personal information, and (2) a draft partial amendment to the technical standards for individual number cards. The order in (1) sets out detailed procedural rules for handling numbers and cards and for exchanging specific personal information, while (2) concerns the technical specifications of the card itself. The draft texts and related materials are posted on the public comment page of e-Gov, the government's electronic portal, and can be viewed by anyone. Comments are accepted from Monday 31 August to Wednesday 30 September 2026. Public comment is the standard procedure by which the government publishes a draft before finalising an order and collects opinions widely. Submitted comments are posted on e-Gov and made available for distribution and inspection by the Digital Agency's Common Social Functions Group, but no individual replies are given. For the exact content of the amendments, check the draft texts on e-Gov.
Foreign residents registered on a resident record are also assigned an individual number and can obtain an individual number card on the same terms as Japanese nationals. The card is used as an identity document in everyday situations — getting a copy of your resident record at a convenience store, filing a tax return, health insurance procedures, opening a bank account — so rules governing the card's specifications and how it is issued and handled feed directly into daily paperwork. This comment period is a chance to see the proposed changes before they are finalised. Two practical points: first, comments must be written in Japanese, so if you are not confident in Japanese it is safer to prepare your text with help from your employer, a support organisation or an administrative scrivener. Second, the materials and the submission form are provided in Japanese, and your name, address, postal code and contact details are required. If you submit as an individual, your name is not published. Once the amendments are finalised, guidance on applying for or renewing a card may change, so keep an eye on your municipality's announcements and Digital Agency notices.
Japan's MAFF set the government selling price of imported wheat for the October 2026 term at ¥70,020 per ton, a 12.0% increase. Here is what changed, how the twice-a-year system works, and what it means for your food budget.
Japan's Digital Agency says a VPN-based intrusion into its Government Solution Service may have exposed about 246,000 records of ministry staff and contractors. No My Number or bank data was involved, but phishing risk is real.
On Sept 11, 2026 METI accepted wheeling-tariff change filings from 8 power grid operators. These grid fees are built into the retail electricity price every household in Japan pays — here is who is covered and how to check the new rates.
Source:
Digital Agency website (public comment on draft amendments to the My Number order and the technical standards for individual number cards)This article was edited and written by freegent Inc. based on the source above.