Post Questioning Pharmacy Request for Family Member's My Number Card and PIN Sparks Debate

What happened

A man went to a pharmacy to get medicine for a family member. The pharmacy asked him to give them the patient's My Number card and to enter the patient's PIN code. He thought this was wrong and said so. He posted about it on X, and many people replied with their own views and experiences.

Some basic facts

My Number is Japan's national ID number. The My Number card is a plastic card with a chip. In Japan, people can use it as their health insurance card (called 'My Number health insurance card'). A PIN code is a secret number that proves the card holder is the right person. Some people said that a pharmacy can also check a prescription and a medicine notebook without the card. The government's official Q&A says that a family member or staff can help operate the card reader if the patient cannot do it alone.

Key facts from the discussion

• The original post had about 23,500 views.
• Many replies said the patient can give a prescription and a medicine notebook to a proxy. The card is not needed for that.
• Some replies said the card only checks whether insurance can be used.
• One reply said that for repeat visits, the pharmacy can just confirm verbally whether insurance has changed.

Why it matters

The story shows how confusing it can be to use digital ID cards in daily life. People are not sure who may use the card, and pharmacies are not sure what they must ask for. It also raises a privacy question. A PIN code and an ID card are meant to protect the person who owns them, so handing them to someone else feels risky to many people.

What to watch

• Whether the government makes clear rules for proxy pickups at pharmacies.
• Whether pharmacies change their process so staff do not ask for the card and PIN.
• How older patients and people who cannot visit in person are helped in the future.