Digital Minister Recommends Carrying Two Cards Despite Push to Integrate “My Number Driver’s License” into One Amid Usability Concerns
Digital Minister reveals that having two driver’s licenses is the right thing to do
The “My Number driver’s license,” which began operation in March 2025. Using the widespread adoption of the My Number card as a foothold, the government is accelerating its integration with health insurance cards and driver’s licenses. As of the end of last year, the ownership rate of My Number cards had reached 80.8% of the total population, but regarding the crucial My Number driver’s license, there remains strong sentiment that “it has many inconvenient aspects, and carrying both it and the conventional driver’s license is more realistic.” So what exactly is happening on the ground?
There are three patterns for the My Number driver’s license: (1) My Number driver’s license only, (2) conventional driver’s license only, and (3) carrying both. As a nation, the government presumably wants to promote full integration into the My Number driver’s license. However, surprisingly, the Digital Minister himself was seen recommending the carry both option.
At the House of Councillors’ Digital Affairs Committee in April 2025, then–Digital Minister Taira pointed out that while one can drive in places like Hawaii with a conventional driver’s license, the My Number driver’s license is not supported overseas, meaning that even if presented, it would be rejected with a response of “That won’t work.” Regarding cases of driving abroad, he explained, “People in that situation should carry two cards.”
Furthermore, from a risk management perspective, the conventional driver’s license has the advantage. When it comes to reissuance after loss, a conventional license can be reissued in as little as “the same day,” whereas the My Number driver’s license requires at least “five days.” Mr. Taira, formerly a vegetable wholesaler, emphasized this point based on his own experience:
“Professional drivers might be better off linking their My Number driver’s license and carrying two cards. Before becoming a member of the Diet, I worked as a vegetable wholesaler at Ota Market and made deliveries every morning, so if I lost my driver’s license, I wouldn’t be able to do my job.”
Regarding the inconveniences faced by the public concerning the My Number driver’s license, Minister Taira also stated, “Since it can be confusing, we have thoroughly instructed service counters to provide careful explanations.”
Reality of being turned away at the door at car rental stores
According to a report released in January this year by Hideyoshi Kawagishi of the NLI Research Institute, as of the end of 2025, the number of My Number driver’s license holders remains at approximately 2.22 million (about 2.7% of all license holders), and of those, only around 30% have fully integrated to a single card.
Behind this sluggish growth is the delayed response of private-sector services. Kawagishi points out that some rental car and car-sharing operators do not support the My Number driver’s license, meaning that in some cases only the conventional driver’s license can be used.
In fact, the website of the Japan Rent-A-Car Association cautions that “if the license details cannot be read and verified using the in-store terminal, we may refuse the rental.”
Specifically, the situation is as follows (as of early February).
Regarding driving a car overseas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns on its website, “Please bring your conventional driver’s license.” The reason given is that driver’s license information is not displayed on the face of the My Number card.
Lower renewal fees, but the reality is far too inconvenient
Of course, there are also advantages to switching to the My Number driver’s license. In his report, Kawagishi cites lower fees as one benefit. He points out that this appears to reflect reductions in administrative work and costs on the government side due to the digitization of procedures.
In addition, there are advantages such as being able to complete an address change in a one-stop process and take online renewal courses.
However, Kawagishi lists three disadvantages—(1) not usable with some rental car and car-sharing services, (2) not usable overseas, and (3) slow reissuance—and concludes as follows:
“I believe the ideal approach is for people to make their choice after understanding the disadvantages as well. Public awareness efforts to properly inform citizens are essential.”
While it is clear that there are benefits to switching to the My Number driver’s license, at present its drawbacks are not easy to understand. The government should communicate them more clearly to the public and, from the user’s perspective as citizens, steadily disclose updates on how these disadvantages are being addressed and what improvements can be expected in the future.
Interview and text by Hideki Asai： Hideki Asai