News Navigator: What’s going on with forged Japanese ‘My Number’ national ID cards?

The Mainichi Shimbun answers some common questions readers may have about cases of forged Japanese “My Number” national ID cards.

Question: I heard news about My Number cards being forged. Is that true?

Answer: Yes, that’s correct. The forged cards were used to hijack mobile phones. In April, the attacks targeted a Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member and a member of the Yao city council in Osaka Prefecture.

Q: How were the cards forged?

A: The front of the My Number card lists the person’s name, address, and date of birth. Politicians often share such personal information on the internet or in public relations newsletters, and it appears that these details were used to create fake cards.

Q: That’s terrible. How were the forged cards misused?

A: The forged cards were used at mobile phone stores to change phone models without the real owners’ consent. The victims’ phone numbers were also transferred to these new phones. This renders the original phones unusable. Although mobile phone companies require shop staff to check the original My Number card plus one other piece of ID, the store where the illicit phone switch occurred only inspected the forged card.

Q: What happened after the phones were switched?

A: The hijacked phones were used for financial transactions through payment apps. The scammers who switched out the Yao city council member’s phone took out a loan and bought a watch worth millions of yen (more than $12,000), all in the councilor’s name.

Q: Is there any way to prevent such acts?

A: Japan’s Digital Agency, through the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and other bodies, has issued documents to private businesses detailing methods to identify forgeries. My Number cards have an IC chip that contains information such as the holder’s name and address. Digital minister Taro Kono told a May 10 press conference, “The most reliable way to counter forgery is to read the IC chip for strict identity verification.” Therefore, confirming the card using the IC chip is ideal.

(Japanese original by Kensuke Yaoi, Osaka City News Department)