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FAQs: About personal data Conservation

  • Q & amp; A is added at any time.
  • At the end of each response, (Response in X, 20 xx) is indicated. Some responses were made before August 2021, but these responses were made on the Digital Agency website before the establishment of the Cabinet Office.

Q5-1: Is there a possibility that the IC chip of the My Number Card (personal identification number card) will be deleted from the medical care (medical history, medication, etc.) information?

A5-1

Highly private information, such as tax and pensions information and medical history, is not recorded on the IC chip of the My Number Card. Therefore, such information cannot be found from the card. The information to be recorded is limited to the information stated on the face of the ticket and the E-Certificate of the Public Personal Authentication .
(Response in September 2015)

Q5-2: Is it true that the Government of Japan will exercise unified control over personal data?

A5-2

With the introduction of My Number System, there is no "centralized management" of information. When managing information, personal data, which had been managed by each organization until now, continues to be managed by that organization, and a mechanism called "distributed management" is adopted in which necessary information is exchanged only when necessary. There is no need to create a specific common database, so there is no possibility that information will be leaked from such a place in a roundabout way.
(Updated December 2022)

Q5-3 Is there a possibility that My Number will be leaked?

A5-3

My Number System has taken various security management measures on both the institutional and system sides. Specifically, in addition to making it impossible to complete procedures using only the My Number, we are also implementing distributed information management, access control to the system, and encryption of communication.

In addition, if a highly independent third party organization (Personal Information Protection Commission) monitors and supervises, and intentionally provides personal data including My Number, strict penalties will be applied.
(Response in February 2016)

Q5-4. If the My Number is leaked, is there a possibility that the personal data will be leaked in a similar manner?

A5-4

In My Number System, personal data is never managed by a single common database. For example, information on national taxes is managed by the tax office, information on child allowances and public assistance is managed by each municipality, and information on pensions is managed by the pensions office. As always, information is managed in a distributed manner.

In addition, information is exchanged between public office, not by My Number, but by a code (encrypted code) that can be collated only within the system and is different for each public office. Therefore, even if a public office is leaked at one location, it will be blocked from other personal data. Even if a personal data containing My Number is leaked at one location, it will not be possible to extract the My Number from the other My Number.
(Response in December 2015)

Q5-5 I heard that spoofs damage has occurred in the U.S. and the ROK. Is there any possibility of similar damage occurring in My Number System?

A5-5

In the U.S., there have been cases in which people have used other people's Social Security numbers to illegally receive benefits from pensions and fraudulent refund taxes. In South Korea, there have been cases in which people have illegally obtained other people's resident registration numbers and registered for online games from overseas. In these cases, it is considered that the fact that there are no restrictions on the use of numbers in the systems of both countries and that identity verification can be performed only by using numbers is the cause of the occurrence.

Based on these overseas cases, the Japanese city of My Number System has restricted the scope of use of the My Number in law and regulation and requires strict identification when using the My Number. In the unlikely event that the My Number is leaked, the My Number alone cannot be used for the procedure, so it alone will not be misused.
(Updated June 2023)

Q5-6: What are "specific personal data" and "specific personal data file" under the My Number Act?

A5-6

"Specific personal data" refers to a personal data that contains a My Number (Individual Number) or a code corresponding to the My Number. The code corresponding to the My Number is a number or symbol that corresponds to the My Number and is used in place of the My Number, and is other than the Resident Register Code. If a number obtained by regularly converting the My Number is leaked, there is a risk similar to the case where the My Number itself is leaked. Therefore, it is treated in the same manner as the My Number.

In addition, the "Specific personal data File" refers to a personal data File that contains a My Number or a code corresponding to a My Number. In the case of private business, the personal data File is synonymous with the "personal data Database, etc." prescribed in the personal data Protection Act.
(Response in July 2014)

Q5-7 What is the relationship between the My Number Act and the personal data Protection Act?

A5-7

Since a specific personal data is also a part of personal data, the personal data Protection Act is applied as a general rule. In addition, since there is a risk that a specific personal data will be subject to name-based aggregation based on the My Number, stricter protection measures than the personal data Protection Act are added under the My Number Act.
(Updated November 2017)

Q5-8 What should I be aware of when handling My Number?

A5-8
Please refrain from recklessly providing your My Number to a third party.

When notifying or using your My Number or going through procedures such as My Number Card Issue, the public authorities will never ask you for your account number, account PIN, income or asset information, family structure, pensions or insurance information, or ask you for money or a cash card. You will never be asked to operate a bank ATM.

Be sure not to answer any calls, letters, emails, or visits of this nature.
(Updated June 2023)

Q5-9 Can't I collect other people's My Numbers?

A5-9

It is prohibited to request the provision of the My Number of another person (a person who does not belong to the same household as the person) or to collect and store specific personal data (see Q5-6) including the My Number of another person, except when it is necessary for administrative procedures specified by the law or regulation, such as social security system, tax system, and disaster response, even with the consent of the Principal.
(Updated June 2023)

Q5-10 What kind of penalties are there under the My Number Act?

A5-10

Under the My Number Law, there are more types of penalties than under the personal data Protection Law, and statutory penalties are also heavier. Specific examples are as follows.
(Response in July 2014)

Something whose subject is limited to officials of a national public authorities or local governments etc.

  • Operator: A person who is engaged in or was engaged in the operation of the information linkages or the information provision network system
  • Act: Divulging or stealing any secret learned in the course of the business of information linkages or the Information Provision Network System
  • Statutory penalty: imprisonment with work for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than 1.5 million yen (in some cases, both may be imposed).
  • Party: Directors and employees of the national government, local governments, local governments, etc.
  • Act: Collecting documents, etc. in which a specific personal data that belongs to a personal secret for purposes other than duties by abusing the authority
  • Statutory penalty: imprisonment with work for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than 1,000,000 yen.

Something that can be private business or personal

  • Person: A person who is engaged in or has been engaged in clerical work using Individual Numbers or clerical work related to Individual Numbers
  • Act: Provision of specific personal data files in which personal secrets handled in the course of business are recorded without justifiable grounds
  • Statutory penalty: imprisonment with work for not more than 4 years or a fine of not more than 2 million yen (may be imposed in combination).
  • Person: A person who is engaged in or has been engaged in clerical work using Individual Numbers or clerical work related to Individual Numbers
  • Act: Providing or misappropriating the My Number obtained in the course of business for the purpose of acquiring illicit benefits for oneself or a third party
  • Statutory penalty: imprisonment with work for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than 1.5 million yen (in some cases, both may be imposed).
  • Subject: Not limited
  • Act: Obtain a My Number by deceiving, assaulting, or intimidating a person, stealing property, entering a facility, or making a unauthorized access.
  • Statutory penalty: imprisonment with work for not more than 3 years or a fine of not more than 1.5 million yen.
  • Subject: Not limited
  • Act: To receive My Number Card Issue by deception or other wrongful means
  • Statutory penalty: imprisonment with work for not more than 6 months or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.
  • Operator: A person who has committed a personal data violation in relation to the treatment of a specified law
  • Conduct: Violated a Personal Information Protection Commission order
  • Statutory penalty: imprisonment with work for not more than 2 years or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.
  • Party: A person who has received a request for submission of reports or materials, questions, or on-site inspection from Personal Information Protection Commission
  • Actions: False reporting, submission of false data, refusal to answer or inspect, obstruction of inspection, etc.
  • Statutory penalty: imprisonment with work for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen.

* In addition, penalties for crime committed outside Japan and dual penalty regulations are also provided.