Japan's digital My Number Card adds card-face display on Android phones

Japan began offering the "Android no My Number Card" on October 20, 2026, letting users present card-face information such as name, address, photo and personal number on compatible Android smartphones, according to k-tai.watch.impress.co.jp.

The feature works on some smartphones running Android 12 or later that are equipped with StrongBox, a dedicated hardware security chip. Devices without StrongBox can still use it in a limited form: Google Wallet displays "kinō gentei" (limited function) on the card face.

Setting it up requires three apps — the My Number app, Google Wallet and the Osaifu-Keitai app — along with the signature password of 6 to 16 alphanumeric characters and the 4-digit card-entry PIN. Users also record a face movement with the front camera and read the physical card's IC chip.

On StrongBox-free devices, electronic certificate functions such as logging in to the My Na Portal and issuing certificates at convenience stores remain available. Users of the existing smartphone e-certificate service who add the attribute-certificate function also go through face capture and card reading.

Face-to-face confirmation app

The My Number Card face-to-face confirmation app can read the Android card data and present only whether the holder is 20 or older while hiding name and address. It also reads specified residence cards and specified special permanent resident certificates. The Digital Agency plans Mac and iPad versions in mid-October, with a Windows version scheduled during fiscal 2026.

Android phones gained the smartphone e-certificate service in May 2023, and iPhone models began offering the card in June 2025, ahead of Android on card-face display.