Digital ID card: Japan brings its number card to the iPhone

Japan is the first country outside the USA to make it possible to store a type of ID card in Apple Wallet on the iPhone. The so-called number card will also be available for full digital use on the iPhone from spring 2025. An Android version has not yet been announced.

The number card was introduced in 2016 and can be applied for by all residents. The focus is on a 12-digit individual number. The card can be presented as proof of the number's authenticity. It can be used to access numerous government services online, as well as online banking services. It also serves as proof of identity when opening bank accounts and can be used for identification in the healthcare sector and for passport applications.

States have been hesitant so far

The option to store identity cards in Apple Wallet was introduced by Apple back in 2021. Since then, however, progress has been slow. In the USA, too, digital IDs can only be applied for in four states so far. These are Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland. Apple's home state of California is not one of them, but at least wants to introduce a digital driver's license, which will come in the form of its own app. Other US states have plans to bring digital IDs to smartphones.

In connection with the introduction in Japan, Apple emphasizes that data protection and privacy are guaranteed to the highest standards. Germany already has an electronic ID card, but this has so far been met with skepticism by large sections of the population.

Double-click for ID card

According to Japan's Digital Minister Taro Kano, the Japanese number card has already been applied for by 100 million citizens. The Apple Wallet can be accessed by double-clicking the power button on the iPhone. In this country, it is mainly used to pay with Apple Pay.

(mki)