— but you still can’t ditch loss-prevention habits or the paper medication record
📖 Reading time: 12–14 min
🎯 What you’ll learn
- Key pros & cons of the MyNa Driver’s License (the 3-in-1 card)
- A first-hand account of actually switching
- What you can do now and what’s coming next
- Where things stand with medical / medication records / pensions integration
- Loss-risk countermeasures 50-somethings should take
👋 Intro: A 50-something finally catches the digital wave
Hi there. I’m a guy in my 50s living in Kanagawa.
I’ve lived through paper-heavy Showa, PC-internet Heisei, and now the AI-flavored Reiwa.
Honestly, I’m not a super early adopter—but I’m curious enough. I like peeking under the hood and thinking, “Huh, so that’s how it works.”
What I’m not fond of is half-baked systems. If we’re doing it, let me finish it on my phone.
“My Number card? If we’re going there, just merge it with my driver’s license and health insurance already…”
“Mobile pay? I’ll still use cash, but if it’s convenient, sure—why not.”
That’s me—a touch interested in the future.
And this time, I finally tried the thing everyone’s talking about: the MyNa Driver’s License—the 3-in-1 card that combines your driver’s license + My Number card + health insurance card.
“If I’ll need it eventually, better to get used to it early.”
Here’s my no-sugar-coating field report from a 50-something.
💳 What is the “MyNa Driver’s License”? (In 3 lines)
- It’s an IC card that unifies your driver’s license, My Number card, and health insurance card.
- Full rollout in March 2025 nationwide: one card for government, healthcare, and ID.
- Phone-based versions are coming, so we may eventually ditch physical cards altogether.
The “cards vanish from your wallet” era—like sci-fi—is basically on your doorstep.
🆕 The one-line verdict
Biggest upside ☀️
- No more multi-office paperwork hopping
- Government / medical / ID all in one card
- Online renewal courses for good/standard drivers
- Slimmer wallet, simpler procedures
Biggest downside ⚠️
- If you lose it, daily life can stall
- Centralized personal data = bigger blast radius if leaked
- Not every service supports it yet
- Expiry dates aren’t printed on the card (stored in the chip)
👉 Bottom line: The convenience is real—but careful management is non-negotiable.
“Yes, it’s handy… but if I drop this one card, I’m toast, right?”
—Exactly. That tension is the MyNa Driver’s License.
💡The “Pros” (from experience)
💳 One card = lighter wallet, easier life
Three cards down to one. My old long wallet used to bulge; the zipper protested. Now it’s slim. That little bit of physical breathing room is surprisingly uplifting.
🏠 One-stop changes for address/name
This felt revolutionary.
Before, a move meant: city office → license center → workplace paperwork…
Now? City office once. Done. No more “bureaucracy relay race.”
💻 Online renewal courses (for good/standard drivers)
Do it at home. Feels like watching YouTube. No more 2-hour round trips and cramped classrooms.
(Confession: I had a violation, so it was a 2-hour course for me… and online wasn’t available this time. Please follow traffic rules—says the guy who has no moral high ground!)
Note: For your first unification renewal, online might not apply; usually available from the next renewal.
💰 A small fee break
It’s not huge, but at our age tiny wins still feel good.
🏦 Smoother ID checks
Banks, hospitals, counters—tap and done.
“Do you have photo ID?”
“Yup—beep.”
“Thanks.”
You’ll get hooked on that speed.
🧓 Pensions get a tad simpler
My Number already links to your Basic Pension Number; more steps are moving online.
As pension stuff gets real for us 50-somethings, less hassle matters.
⚠️ The “Cons”
💥 Higher stakes if you lose it
Because it’s all in one:
- You might not be able to drive
- Healthcare check-in gets messy
- Identity checks stall
Result: parts of daily life pause until reissue (often 1–2 weeks). It can affect work. Wallet care becomes a lifeline.
🧩 Centralized personal info risk
If data leaks, impact multiplies. Convenience demands better security hygiene.
⏰ Expiry isn’t printed
It’s stored in the IC chip, viewable via app/reader.
For those of us who like to see it at a glance, that’s a little unsettling at first.
🏢 Not every private service supports it
“Please use your MyNa Driver’s License.”
“Your… what now?”
Yeah, that conversation still happens. Adoption takes time.
📱What you can do now vs later
What you can do now (as of 2025)
- One-stop address/name changes at your city office
- Online renewal courses (good/standard drivers)
- Healthcare ID and prescription info sharing at clinics/pharmacies (where supported)
- Small fee breaks in some municipalities
- Check license data in the app (not printed on the face)
- Some pension procedures online via My Number linkage
What’s coming next
- Phone-based (card-less) IDs
- Online courses widening to more driver categories
- Stronger government–healthcare–finance integration
- Credit card tie-ins for “phone-only life”
- Stronger privacy tech (e.g., blockchain-backed protection)
I’m excited—but the 50-something in me also asks, “Do we need all that?”
🚶My slightly “meh” memories with MyNa Health Insurance
Confession time.
I linked My Number and my health insurance 2–3 years ago. I thought, “Goodbye plastic insurance card—future unlocked!”
Reality? Mixed.
Internal medicine: smooth.
Pharmacies and dentists:
“Sorry, we’re not set up for that yet.”
… Seriously?
This “supported here, not supported there” problem is frustrating.
I’m on regular meds for hypertension and gout, and pharmacies still say:
“Please show both your MyNa insurance and your paper medication record (お薬手帳).”
I want to ditch the booklet. Forget it and you pay a reissue fee.
“Can’t this all just live on my phone already?”
I know I’m not alone. Every generation probably feels this.
🏛️ The first hurdle—unification at the driving school
I did my switch during license renewal at a driving school, not at city hall.
At booking/check-in they ask:
“Do you have your My Number card?”
Say yes, and you can unify on the spot at renewal.
Sounds easy… until the PIN screen pops up.
💦 My small panic
“Please insert your My Number card.”
I do.
“Enter your PIN.”
“…Which one? 4 digits? 6? Did I even set this?!”
Cold sweat. Luckily, I had it saved in my phone’s password manager. Otherwise, game over.
👉 If you’re doing this soon, hear me out:
- You’ll need two PINs.
- Without them, reset takes time.
- Worst case, you can’t finish that day.
Prep your PINs beforehand. Please.
The rest took about 30 minutes. Staff were great.
I walked out thinking, “Since when were government procedures this smooth?”
Reference—two key PINs you’ll need:
- Signature e-Certificate PIN: 6–16 alphanumeric characters
- Used for One-Stop Services, MyPortal (マイナポータル), and many e-procedures
- Used for One-Stop Services, MyPortal (マイナポータル), and many e-procedures
- MyNa Driver’s License PIN: 4-digit number
- Needed to read license info from the IC chip; 10 wrong attempts locks it
- Needed to read license info from the IC chip; 10 wrong attempts locks it
💡 What got better after switching
1) 💳 My wallet finally breathes
Three cards → one. That lightness lifts my mood.
2) 🏠 Address changes are sane now
City office once, and no more bureaucracy hopscotch.
3) 💻 Online renewal (good/standard drivers)
If you qualify, it’s genuinely as easy as watching a video.
4) 💰 Small fee savings
Minor, but nice—especially in our 50s.
⚠️ What worried me
1) ⏰ Can’t see the expiry at a glance
You can check the app, but not seeing it on the card kept nagging me.
2) 💥 Lose it and life pauses
Driving, hospital check-ins—it’s rough for 1–2 weeks until reissue.
And since you must carry it (to drive), the daily loss risk is real.
This is the scariest part.
🛡️ (Important) Loss-risk countermeasures for the 50s
Originally, your My Number card was meant to stay at home.
Once unified with your license, you’ll carry it daily. “I’ll just bring it when needed”?
Nope. You’ll forget—guaranteed.
So yes, carry it—but harden your habits.
My 3 rules
- Don’t forget your PINs
Use memorable but strong ones, and store them in a password manager—not on random notes. - Use a protective IC card case
RFID-shielded, water-resistant, shock-resistant. A strap helps. - Fix its slot in your wallet
“Wait, which pocket?”
Those 5 seconds of searching can be costly.
TL;DR: “Carry only when necessary” is ideal; not realistic.
Operate on a carry-always assumption, and minimize risk.
💊 Why I still carry the paper medication record (お薬手帳)
Even with MyNa insurance sharing prescriptions, pharmacies still ask for both:
“MyNa insurance and your paper medication record, please.”
Why? Because notes like side effects, allergies, supplements, free-text memos don’t digitize neatly yet.
I want to ditch the booklet—forget it and you risk a reissue fee.
“Can’t everything just be digital?” I know I’m not the only one.
Nationwide Medical DX should fix this eventually. We wait.
🚀 What I’m looking forward to—phone-based MyNa Driver’s License
If your phone can carry your license credentials, you could leave the card at home.
- Japan targets fiscal 2026 or later for phone-based My Number with license functions.
- License data and e-certs live on your phone, authenticated via Face/Touch ID.
That means:
- Far less loss risk
- No physical card to carry
- Convenience + security can both improve
“Isn’t losing your phone just as bad?”
Fair—but phones have screen locks and remote wipe. That’s safer than a card, in my book.
💴 Pensions, too
My Number is already tied to pensions. Expect:
- Benefit status checks, status reports, and applications handled online.
We’re moving from the Basic Pension Number era to My Number as the identity axis.
Great for efficiency—and a reminder to up our data-hygiene game.
⏳ Not live yet
As of October 2025, this is pre-deployment. Real phone-based usage is 2026+.
Until then, think of this as the final chapter of the plastic card era—and a bridge to the next one.
Our grandkids will laugh: “You carried paper licenses?”
✅ A 50-something’s verdict
👉 “More convenient than I expected—but not perfect.”
My wallet’s lighter; procedures are smoother.
But loss risk and patchy medical integration still bug me.
Even so, imperfection isn’t a reason to sit it out.
We don’t have to swallow every new thing wholesale.
But when something’s truly useful, try it.
That flexible, steady adaptation—that’s our generation’s superpower.
🚀 Ready to start? Do these first
The only real trap is the PINs.
Step 1: Confirm your two PINs in advance.
If you’ve forgotten them, reset at city hall before renewal day.
Trust me—avoid my sweaty moment.
What you need
- My Number card
- Driver’s license
- A simple “Let’s do this” mindset
That’s it. Staff guide you through the rest. If I got it done smoothly at 50-something, you will too.
💬 What would you prioritize?
The MyNa Driver’s License is convenient, but demands careful handling.
Which do you value more: convenience or risk control?
Tell me on X (Twitter)—and if this helped, please share.
If a friend in their 50s is on the fence, send this with:
“Whatever you do, don’t forget your PINs.” 😉
🔜 Next time
“When the phone-based MyNa Driver’s License launches, how will daily life change?”
Card-less living for the 50s—practically speaking, what’s best? Stay tuned.
This article reflects my experience and public info as of October 2025. For the latest, check official announcements from the National Police Agency, Digital Agency, MIC, and MHLW.
✅ TL;DR (Summary Points)
- The convenience is real—but loss prevention and PIN management are your lifelines.
- The paper medication record is still needed today; full digital is coming, just not here yet.
- Phone-based MyNa Driver’s License targets fiscal 2026+.
- Our 50-something edge: adapt even when it’s not perfect.
Related Posts
コメント