A service allowing My Number cardholders to print copies of birth and residence certificates in convenience stores appears likely to be suspended following reports of glitches in which users have received other residents documents.
The Digital Agency has asked Fujitsu Japan Ltd. to discontinue the service in all of the about 200 municipalities it offers.
However, Fujitsu Japan representatives said it cannot provide a clear timeline for the completion of all necessary measures because the system varies by municipality, necessitating individualized checks and suspensions.
In Yokohama, there were 10 cases of technical glitches reported, the largest number of such cases in the region since March 27. The service has since been suspended in the municipality. Glitches were also reported on March 22 and April 18 in Tokyo s Adachi Ward and on May 2 in Kawasaki.
System overload is the main reason for the problem, which occurs during periods when the service surges occur.
The Digital Agency had asked Fujitsu Japan to discontinue the service because of concerns that people might lose faith in the My Number system.
The issue does not lie with the card itself, said Hirokazu Matsuno, chief cabinet secretary. Matsuno said that comprehensive measures would be adopted to address the problem. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has also called for system-wide inspections.
Two Yokohama and Kawasaki have reported that their respective problems have been resolved and are currently tracking the situation, despite ongoing problems elsewhere.