Security News > 2023 > June > Japan's digital ID card gets emergency review amid data leaks

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida has ordered an emergency review of the nation's ID Cards, amid revelations of glitches and data leaks that threaten the government's digital services push.

Japanese media reports that people with similar names are receiving cards intended for other people, while some recipients found the card links to records describing someone else.

The potential for identity fraud - or worse - means confidence in the cards has dropped, and ditching current health insurance cards has become unpopular.

In remarks at a Wednesday press conference, PM Kishida announced a review of the My Number system and ordered the relevant department to make it a priority comparable with government responses to COVID-19.

That's a slightly odd choice of metaphor, as Japan's immature digital government services were widely blamed for its slow response to the pandemic.

While Japan established a digital transformation agency on his watch, the year after his departure from the top job Japan re-wrote laws requiring the use of floppy disks for some dealings with government.

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https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/06/22/japan_my_number_security_review/