Japan can still make its grand plans for 'My Number' work

Government needs to prove ID system's resilience and security to the public

20230818 My number

My Number, Japan's new national ID system, is becoming a test of whether the public can trust the government to get the basics right when it comes to networked systems. © Jiji

David J. Farber is co-director of the Cyber Civilization Research Center at Keio University in Tokyo as well as guest professor (global) in the Graduate School of Media and Governance at the university. Dan Gillmor is a senior fellow at the Keio center and a professor of practice at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has repeatedly apologized for the problematic implementation of the country's new national ID card system but appears determined to proceed with making the My Number card the linchpin of government service provision.

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