Distinguish the number and the card

Osaka’s guide explains that My Number is assigned to people registered as residents and is used in areas such as tax and social security. The physical My Number Card is a separate application. Keep the notification and application details securely, and check which document a service is actually asking to see.

The city describes online, postal and compatible photo-booth application routes. Use the official form and current photograph requirements. If an application identifier or document is missing, ask your ward office how to proceed instead of using another household member’s details or submitting repeated applications blindly.

Prepare for collection and later changes

Follow the issuance notice and the ward’s current appointment and identification instructions. The guide also links Osaka’s expedited-issuance information; check its eligibility and conditions directly rather than assuming every applicant can choose a faster route. A typical processing estimate is not a guaranteed collection date.

At collection, make sure you understand PIN handling and any electronic-certificate functions you will use. Keep PINs away from the card and do not reveal them to someone offering informal help. Ask what to do after an address or residence-permission change. Using the card for a particular service, including health-insurance verification, can involve a separate registration or enrollment question. Keep the municipality’s official contact details so that a lost card or changed record can be handled through the proper route.

Adapted and rewritten by Japanese.Pink from the City of Osaka’s My Number (Individual Number). The wording and organization have been edited. Source checked: 9 November 2026.