Okay, let’s break down this announcement from the Digital Agency of Japan and what it likely means.
Headline: Update to My Number Law Implementation: Notification Regarding Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Designated Tasks (April 30, 2025)
Core Announcement:
On April 30, 2025, at 06:00 (JST), the Digital Agency of Japan (デジタル庁) announced an update concerning the implementation of the “Act on the Use of Numbers to Identify Specific Individuals in Administrative Procedures” (行政手続における特定の個人を識別するための番号の利用等に関する法律), often referred to as the “My Number Law” (マイナンバー法).
Specifically, the update involves the “Ordinance Designating Affairs Prescribed by the Competent Ministry Ordinance of the Appended Table of the Act on the Use of Numbers to Identify Specific Individuals in Administrative Procedures, Article 74: Notification Designating Affairs Prescribed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications” (行政手続における特定の個人を識別するための番号の利用等に関する法律別表の主務省令で定める事務を定める命令第七十四条の内閣総理大臣及び総務大臣が定める事務を定める告示を更新しました).
Decoding the Jargon: What Does It All Mean?
This is very specific legal language, so let’s unpack it.
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My Number Law (マイナンバー法): This is the cornerstone law that establishes the “My Number” (個人番号, Kojin Bango) system in Japan. The My Number is a 12-digit identification number assigned to all residents of Japan (citizens and registered foreign residents). The goal of the law is to improve administrative efficiency, enhance public services, and promote fairness in taxation and social security.
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Appended Table of the Act: Legal acts often have “Appended Tables” that provide lists or details clarifying provisions within the main text. In this case, it refers to a specific table within the My Number Law that defines categories of administrative tasks where the My Number can be used.
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Competent Ministry Ordinance (主務省令): This refers to a detailed rule or regulation issued by the ministry responsible for a particular area of administration. The My Number Law is implemented through various ordinances.
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Article 74: This article likely outlines specific responsibilities and powers related to designating certain tasks for My Number usage.
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Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications (内閣総理大臣及び総務大臣): These are the heads of the Cabinet and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, respectively. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省, Soumusho) plays a key role in overseeing the My Number system.
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Notification Designating Affairs (告示): This is a formal public announcement specifying which administrative tasks are included in the scope of My Number usage as determined by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications.
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Updated (更新しました): The key word! This means the list of administrative tasks where the My Number can be used has been revised.
In Plain English: What Changed?
The Digital Agency updated the official list of administrative tasks where the My Number can be used. This likely means:
- Expansion or Modification of My Number Usage: The government probably added new types of administrative procedures to the list where the My Number can be used, or they may have modified existing tasks to allow for more efficient data sharing and processing via the My Number system.
- Clarification: The update might have clarified existing regulations to make the scope of My Number usage more precise.
Why is this Important?
- Privacy: The My Number system is controversial in Japan due to privacy concerns. Each expansion of its use raises questions about data security and the potential for misuse.
- Administrative Efficiency: The government argues that wider use of the My Number system will reduce bureaucracy, improve service delivery, and prevent fraud.
- Transparency: Public awareness of which administrative tasks utilize the My Number is crucial for public trust and accountability.
- Impact on Citizens: Ultimately, this update affects how citizens interact with government services. It potentially makes some processes easier, but it also requires citizens to be aware of how their My Number is being used.
How to Find More Details
To get the specific details of what changed, you would need to:
- Go to the Digital Agency Website (digital.go.jp): The URL provided in the prompt.
- Search for the Specific Notification: Look for announcements related to the “Act on the Use of Numbers to Identify Specific Individuals in Administrative Procedures” published on or around April 30, 2025. Use keywords like “別表” (Appended Table), “主務省令” (Competent Ministry Ordinance), “告示” (Notification), “内閣総理大臣” (Prime Minister), and “総務大臣” (Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications).
- Read the Notification Document: Download and carefully examine the official notification document. It will likely be in Japanese. If you can’t read Japanese, you’ll need to use a translation service.
- Look for Related Press Releases: The Digital Agency may have issued a press release explaining the update in more accessible language.
In summary: This announcement signals a change in how the My Number system is implemented in Japan. It’s likely that more administrative procedures are now using the My Number, and citizens should be aware of these changes and how they might affect their interactions with government services. You’ll need to consult the official documents on the Digital Agency website to get the specific details of the update.
行政手続における特定の個人を識別するための番号の利用等に関する法律別表の主務省令で定める事務を定める命令第七十四条の内閣総理大臣及び総務大臣が定める事務を定める告示を更新しました
The AI has delivered the news.
The following question was used to generate the response from Google Gemini:
At 2025-04-30 06:00, ‘行政手続における特定の個人を識別するための番号の利用等に関する法律別表の主務省令で定める事務を定める命令第七十四条の内閣総理大臣及び総務大臣が定める事務を定める告示を更新しました’ was published according to デジタル庁. Please write a detailed article with related information in an easy-to-understand manner. Please answer in English.
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