Japan’s ‘My Number’ ID card functionality to be integrated into iPhones, confirms Japanese official

At the behest of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Apple CEO Tim Cook has agreed to incorporate Japan’s “My Number” identification card features into iPhones, as announced by Japan’s chief government spokesperson on Thursday. The Japanese government aims to streamline administrative processes by consolidating individuals’ tax and social security information into a unified identification card. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi revealed this development following Kishida’s virtual meeting with Cook earlier in the day. “Prime Minister Kishida and Mr. Tim Cook affirmed that My Number card functionalities will be integrated into iPhones next spring,” Hayashi conveyed during a routine press briefing.