This article is written by a Japanese local.
Every foreigner staying in Japan mid-to-long term is assigned a 12-digit “MyNumber” (Individual Number). This is the most critical infrastructure in Japan, absolutely indispensable for paying taxes, enrolling in social insurance, and opening a bank account.
However, your MyNumber is not issued instantly at the airport upon arrival. It requires navigating a cumbersome two-step process: receiving the “number notice” and applying for the “plastic physical card.” This article outlines the objective practical procedures and defensive measures to ensure foreigners unfamiliar with the system can securely obtain their MyNumber Card.
1. Step One: Receiving the “Personal Number Notice” and the Registered Mail Trap
[Summary] About 2 to 3 weeks after registering your address at the city hall, a “Personal Number Notice” will arrive at your home via registered mail. Receiving this securely without missing the delivery attempt is your first absolute requirement.
Once you enter Japan and complete your initial resident registration (address registration) at the local ward or city office, a 12-digit MyNumber is automatically generated for you in the system.
Approximately 2 to 3 weeks later, a paper document called the “Personal Number Notice” will be mailed to your registered home address. The most common error foreigners make here is “missing the mail delivery.” This document is not simply dropped into your mailbox; it is sent via “registered mail” (Kakitome) requiring the recipient’s signature. If you are not home, an absence notice will be left in your mailbox. If you do not request redelivery within a certain period (about one week), the letter will be returned to the city hall. Execute the defensive procedure of arranging redelivery immediately.
2. Step Two: Applying for the “MyNumber Card” via Smartphone
[Summary] The paper notice cannot be used as an official ID. You must use the enclosed QR code with your smartphone to upload a selfie and apply for the physical plastic card.
The “Personal Number Notice” delivered to your home displays your 12-digit number, but it is merely a notification and holds no validity as an official identification card. To open a bank account and perform other administrative tasks, you must apply for and obtain the physical plastic “MyNumber Card,” which includes an IC chip and your photo.
The most efficient practical procedure is the online application using your smartphone. Scan the QR code on the enclosed application form. Follow the on-screen instructions, register your email address, and simply upload a photo of your face taken with your smartphone camera to complete the application. There is no application fee.
3. Step Three: Picking Up the Card at the City Hall and Setting Passwords
[Summary] About one month after applying, an “Issuance Notice” (postcard) will arrive. You must visit the city hall in person, set two types of passwords, and receive the card.
About one month (sometimes two months depending on the season) after your application is complete, you will receive a postcard called an “Issuance Notice” (Kofu Tsuchisho) from the city hall. You must bring this postcard, your Residence Card (Zairyu Card), and your passport, and physically visit the city hall counter in person.
When receiving the card at the counter, you will be required to input “passwords” to register into the system on the spot. The objective defensive measure is to decide on the following two types of passwords in advance:
- 4-Digit Numeric PIN: Used for printing certificates at convenience stores, etc. (*It locks if entered incorrectly 3 consecutive times).
- 6 to 16-Character Alphanumeric Password: Used for digital signatures and online administrative procedures (*It locks if entered incorrectly 5 consecutive times).
If locked out, you must go back to the city hall counter to undergo a reset procedure. Therefore, ensure you record your set passwords in a safe place.
4. Practical Q&A (Expiration and Returning the Card)
[Summary] The expiration date of a foreigner’s MyNumber Card is identical to their visa’s “period of stay expiration date.” When you renew your visa, you must also complete a procedure to extend the card’s validity.
Q. I renewed my visa (status of residence). Do I need to do anything with my MyNumber Card?
A. Yes, you must take action. The expiration date of a foreigner’s MyNumber Card is directly linked to the expiration date of their Residence Card. Once your visa renewal is complete, you have an objective obligation to go to the city hall counter and execute the “Card Validity Extension Procedure” before the MyNumber Card expires. If it expires even by one day, the card becomes invalid, and reissuing it will cost a fee (1,000 JPY) and take over a month.
Q. What should I do with the card when my assignment ends and I return to my home country?
A. When you permanently leave Japan and file your moving-out notification (removing your resident registration), bring your MyNumber Card to the city hall counter and complete the “return procedure.” The card will be stamped “Moved Overseas” and invalidated, after which you may keep it as a memento. If you ever relocate to Japan again in the future, you will continue to use the exact same 12-digit number, so keeping the invalidated card is a practical defensive procedure.
Conclusion: Application is the Top Priority Infrastructure Task Upon Arrival
The Japan MyNumber Card is an extremely slow-moving infrastructure that involves a time lag of over a month from application to acquisition. To proceed without delay in opening bank and brokerage accounts, and processing company social insurance, execute the roadmap of completing your smartphone card application on the exact same day the notice arrives at your home.