Japan: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications opened consultation on draft Amended Enforcement Regulations of the Act on Identity Verification by Mobile Voice Communication Providers and Prevention of Fraudulent Use of Mobile Voice Communication Services

On 17 May 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan opened a consultation on a draft ministerial ordinance to partially amend the Enforcement Regulations of the Act on Confirmation of Subscribers’ Identity by Mobile Voice Communication Carriers and Prevention of Illegal Use of Mobile Voice Communication Services. The consultation will close on 16 June 2025. The draft ordinance proposes the introduction of a new identity verification method based on recent amendments to the Act on the Use of Numbers to Identify Specific Individuals in Administrative Procedures. Under the amended order, individuals issued with an Individual Number Card (My Number Card) may store electronic records of their basic information, including name, address, date of birth, gender, personal number, and photograph, on personal mobile devices. These are referred to as "Card Replacement Electronic Records". The proposed revision would allow mobile voice communication carriers to use such electronic records stored on smartphones or tablets as a valid form of identity verification. This method would also apply to identity checks when lending or transferring mobile voice communication terminal equipment.