The Social Security and Tax Number System
The Social Security and Tax Number (Individual Number) is a unique 12-digit number assigned to every resident of Japan.
Note that certain application forms submitted to the Health Insurance Society require entry of the Social Security and Tax Number.
- * The insurance card you currently have will be valid for up to one year starting on December 2, 2024–the interim-measure period–but you will not be able to use your current card to consult a doctor at medical care institutions after this period ends.
If you have not yet registered your Social Security and Tax Number Card (Individual Number Card), please perform the necessary procedure as soon as possible.
- See here regarding inquiries about the Social Security and Tax Number System.
- Adoption of the Social Security and Tax Number System
- What is an Individual Number insurance card?
- Account registration system for receipt of public funds
- Handling of Social Security and Tax Numbers and specific personal information
- Related links
See here regarding inquiries about the Social Security and Tax Number System.
Social Security and Tax Number toll-free general hotline
0120-95-0178
Hours: 9:30 am - 8:00 pm M-F, 9:30 am - 5:30 pm weekends (not including New Year's and year-end holidays)
Adoption of the Social Security and Tax Number System
Under the Social Security and Tax Number System, every person registered on a certificate of residence will be assigned a 12-digit Individual Number (Social Security and Tax Number). This will make it possible to accurately and efficiently link information for individuals across the domains of social security, tax, and disaster response.
- Reference link
What is an Individual Number insurance card?
Due to partial amendments to the Act on the Use of Numbers to Identify a Specific Individual in Administrative Procedures, etc., which stipulate the abolition of conventional insurance cards, no new health insurance cards will be issued starting on December 2, 2024. Instead, everyone will have to use Individual Number insurance cards (for which eligibility will be confirmed online), which are in fact Social Security and Tax Number Cards used as health insurance cards.
If you register in advance, you can use your Myna health insurance card as a health insurance card at medical care institutions and pharmacies.
You must register on the Mynaportal site etc. before using your Individual Number Card as your health insurance card. See here for more information.
Using your Individual Number Card as your health insurance card (Mynaportal)
You can register in advance using a Seven Bank ATM or a card reader with facial authentication at a medical care institution or pharmacy.
How to apply at a Seven Bank ATM (Seven Bank)
- Reference link
About online eligibility verification
Online verification of eligibility is a system that makes it possible to verify eligibility information online using the Individual Number Card, etc.
- * Medical care institutions and other facilities do not handle patients' (12-digit) Social Security and Tax Numbers directly. Instead, they use the IC chips on Individual Number Cards.
- * An Individual Number Card cannot be used as a health insurance card at medical care institutions and other facilities that have yet to adopt the online eligibility verification system.
There are various advantages to using a Myna health insurance card.
- Ability to receive better medical care based on past checkup and medicine information
By consenting to the provision of medicine information, etc. to medical care institution and pharmacy reception desks, information on prescribed medicines, etc. can be more easily shared with doctors and pharmacists without having to show them your prescription record. - Exemption from having to pay any amount that exceeds the maximum amount of High-Cost Medical Care Benefits with no procedure required
Even if you do not perform the Certificate of Application of Maximum Copayment Amount procedure, you do not have to temporarily pay amounts that exceed the maximum amount, which means you can visit medical care institutions without any need to worry about this. - Ability to continue using your card as an insurance card even if your Health Insurance Society changes
Even if you enroll in a different Health Insurance Society as a result of finding work or changing jobs, once your enrollment procedure is complete, you can use your current Individual Number health insurance card at medical care institutions. - Ability to view medicine information, specific health checkup information, etc.
You can use Mynaportal (a government-run online service) to view your medicine information, specific health checkup information, etc., which can be useful for managing your personal health.
Caution:
- The insurance card you currently have will be valid for up to one year starting on December 2, 2024–the interim-measure period–but you will not be able to use your current card to consult a doctor at medical care institutions after this period ends. If you have not yet registered your Social Security and Tax Number Card (Individual Number Card), please perform the necessary procedure as soon as possible.
- Note that it is not possible to issue an insurance card in the event of card loss, a name change, or other issue during the interim-measure period, so such cases will be handled by using your "eligibility verification certificate."
Individual Number Card acceptance
Medical care institutions and other facilities that accept Individual Number Cards registered for use as health insurance cards display posters and stickers indicating "マイナ受付 (Myna health insurance cards accepted)."
Account registration system for receipt of public funds
The account registration system for receipt of public funds is a voluntary system for registering your savings account with a financial institution with the Japanese government (Digital Agency) as a personal account for receiving benefits and other funds.
After registering your account, you will no longer need to enter the name of a financial institution or account number when applying or completing other procedures for health insurance and other benefits.
- * If you are employed, your benefits will generally be paid through your establishment (company).
You can register an account for receiving public funds at Mynaportal.
- Reference link
- Reference link
Subject health insurance benefits etc.
- Inpatient Meal Expenses, Inpatient Living Expenses, medical care expenses, Home-Visit Nursing Care Expenses, and Transportation Expenses
- Payment of Injury and Sickness Allowance
- Payment of Funeral Expenses
- Payment of Childbirth and Childcare Lump-Sum Grant
- Payment of Maternity Allowance
- Payment of Dependents’ Medical Care Expenses, Dependents’ Home-Visit Nursing Care Expenses, and Dependents’ Transportation Expenses
- Payment of Dependents’ Funeral Expenses
- Payment of Dependents’ Childbirth and Childcare Lump-Sum Grant
- Payment of High-Cost Medical Care Benefits and High Aggregate Cost for Long-Term Care Service
- Additional benefits stipulated in the health insurance society's constitution
- Refunds of insurance premiums paid by Voluntarily and Continuously Insured Persons and Special-Case Retired Insured Persons
Handling of Social Security and Tax Numbers and specific personal information
Social Security and Tax Numbers and personal information containing these numbers ( "specific personal information" hereinafter) may not be used for purposes other than those specified by law.
Restrictions apply to the use, provision, and collection of Social Security and Tax Numbers.
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Scope of use of Social Security and Tax Numbers
By law, use of the numbers is restricted to administrative procedures related to social security, tax, and disaster response. -
Requests to provide Social Security and Tax Numbers
The individuals concerned and others can only be asked to provide Social Security and Tax Numbers when this information is necessary to prepare documents for procedures involving social security and tax matters. -
Restrictions on requests to provide Social Security and Tax Numbers and on provision and collection of specific personal information
Requesting or collecting Social Security and Tax Numbers and specific personal information or providing this information to others is prohibited except in accordance with restrictions set forth under law.
The Health Insurance Society will handle Social Security and Tax Numbers as a Person in Charge of Affairs Using the Individual Number.
A Person in Charge of Affairs Using the Individual Number is a national administrative agency, a local government, an independent administrative agency, or other organization that uses Social Security and Tax Numbers in their processing of administrative procedures, as established in Appended Table 1 of the Act on the Use of Numbers to Identify a Specific Individual in the Administrative Procedure and relevant ordinances.
As a Person in Charge of Affairs Using the Individual Number, the Health Insurance Society will use Social Security and Tax Numbers solely within the scope of such administrative procedures.