It has been more than six months now that the Japanese government stopped issuing the conventional health insurance cards and started with the My Number health insurance cards, however, the usage rate of new My Number health insurance cards remains persistently low.
According to a government of Japan’s survey the usage of the new health insurance card as of June 2025 stands at 30.64% of all health insurance card and certificate uses through online eligibility confirmation.
The My Number health insurance cards that were introduced in December 2024 enable online verification of a patient's eligibility via card readers installed at medical institutions using an electronic certificate stored in the card's integrated circuit chip. These were introduced for integration with the My Number social security and taxation ID system.
The main benefit of the My Number Health Insurance Card is its ability to share key information, such as the patient's medication history, among medical professionals, supporting more accurate and effective treatment.
Media reports have said that problems have perhaps also arisen due to the expiration of electronic certificates embedded in My Number cards. This has created confusion among users. These issues have cast doubt on the government's ambitions to advance the digitalisation of medical records and services.
Many elderly individuals have been reluctant to adopt the new cards, as they are often unfamiliar with both facial recognition and the entry of personal ID numbers, one of which is required to use the system.
Moreover, cardholders must visit a municipal office in person to complete the renewal process, creating yet another barrier for elderly individuals to fully adopt the My Number health insurance card.
Moreover, even after the full transition to the My Number health insurance card system, eligibility confirmation certificates are still issued to individuals without My Number cards, this is being done to ensure that all insured citizens can continue to receive medical care without concern.
The government has decided, for the time being, to issue eligibility confirmation certificates to individuals age 75 and over, regardless of whether they have registered for a My Number health insurance card. The aim is to prevent confusion caused by the expiration of electronic certificates.