URGENT: Japan to scrap health insurance cards in 2024 as planned: PM

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday that his government will mainly adhere to its plan to scrap health insurance certificates and combine their functionality with "My Number" identification cards, despite public skepticism over the policy.

Kishida said at a press conference that his administration will prioritize improving trust in the national ID system by examining all relevant data, with the aim of pushing ahead with the integration plan.

A series of personal information leaks and registration errors related to My Number cards have heightened public anxiety about the ID system, triggering a decline in approval ratings for Kishida's Cabinet in recent months.

© Kyodo News