Updated 27 Aug 2026 — Sony Bank app added; banking, securities and payment apps covered
Japan's Digital Agency publishes a running list of private-sector services that have started using the My Number Card card-alternative electronic record (attribute certification function) for identity verification. The update of 27 August 2026 added the Sony Bank app (Sony Bank Inc.) as a case of identity verification when applying to open an account. The mechanism lets a user present recorded attributes such as name and address electronically instead of showing the physical card. Until now, opening an account or registering for an app online mainly meant photographing an ID document and uploading the image, or mailing a copy of the document. Services on the list offer verification via this electronic record as one of the available options. The list is structured with identity-verification platforms at the top level and the services built on each platform indented underneath. Top-level entries include e-NINSHO (Nomura Research Institute), VeriMe (Panasonic Connect), iTrust identity verification service (Cybertrust), LIQUID eKYC (Liquid), Primagest Trust Services (Primagest) and the Rakuten Card app (Rakuten Card). Entries are added over time, and companies that wish to be listed contact the Agency through the form at the bottom of the page. Cases where users download the Digital Agency in-person verification app, or an app supplied by a private vendor, are not covered by this list.
Foreign residents in Japan who are registered as residents and hold a My Number Card can use the same verification option at the services on the list. Foreign residents usually verify their identity online with a residence card, which means photographing and uploading the document or mailing a copy. Verification through the card-alternative electronic record changes how that step is handled. The list covers procedures that newcomers often need early on: opening a bank account, opening a securities trading account, joining a credit card online, code payments, and opening a funds transfer account in a flea market app. However, each company decides which procedures accept it and what conditions apply, so check the guidance of the service you are using to see whether the option is actually available. Short-term visitors are not registered residents and are not eligible for a My Number Card, so they cannot use this method.
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Source:
Digital Agency website (list of companies and cases using the card-alternative electronic record)This article was edited and written by freegent Inc. based on the source above.