How to Switch to the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate

【Updated on: 13 November 2025】

*This page is based on the latest official information for 2025 from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Digital Agency.

In 2025, the health insurance card you have been using will soon no longer be valid.
If you are a foreign resident in Japan and enrolled in Japanese health insurance, you will also need to switch to using your My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate.

On this page, we explain what it means that the old health insurance card will no longer be usable, and what procedures foreign residents need to complete.

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Contents

・About the old health insurance card
・What is the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate?
・Until when can I use the old card? Transition schedule
・How to register your My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate
・Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
・For foreign residents: getting medical care with peace of mind

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■ About the old health insurance card

The old-style health insurance card (paper or plastic card) that many people have used up to now will no longer be valid in the future.

・2 December 2024: Issue of new old-style health insurance cards stopped
・Cards you already have can be used until their expiry date
・They can be used up to 1 December 2025 at the latest

(Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare “Use of My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate” https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_08277.html )

■ What is the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate?

The My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate is created by registering your My Number Card so it can be used as your health insurance certificate.
Once you complete the registration, your My Number Card becomes your health insurance certificate.

(Source: Digital Agency “Using the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate” https://www.digital.go.jp/policies/mynumber/insurance-card )

【Benefits of the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate】

・You can complete procedures using just one card (your My Number Card)
・In many cases you can keep using the same card even after changing jobs or moving
・Medical institutions can check your past prescription and treatment records, which may help you receive more appropriate care

(Source: Mynaportal “Using the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate, etc.” https://www.myna.go.jp/html/hokenshoriyou_top.html )

■ Until when can I use the old card? Transition schedule

You can use your current old-style health insurance card (paper or plastic card) until the following date:

Latest possible date: 1 December 2025

・2 December 2024: Issue of new old-style health insurance cards stopped
・1 December 2025: Latest possible date the old-style card can be used
・If you have not yet switched, a “Certificate of Eligibility (shikaku kakunin-sho)” may be issued instead

(Source: Digital Agency “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)” https://www.digital.go.jp/policies/mynumber/faq-insurance-card )

■ How to register your My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate

① Apply for and get your My Number Card

Foreign residents can also apply for a My Number Card. You can apply using the application form sent by your city/ward/town/village office, or online.

(Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare “Use of My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate” https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_40406.html )

② Register it “to be used as a health insurance certificate”

The registration can be completed in three ways:

・Using the “Mynaportal” smartphone app
・At card readers installed at medical institutions and pharmacies
・At Seven Bank ATMs

(Source: Digital Agency “Using the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate” https://www.digital.go.jp/policies/mynumber/insurance-card )

If you want to learn more about the My Number Card itself, see (Japanese only):
【What You Need in Japan】What is a My Number Card?

■ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. If I do not register my My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate, can I still go to the hospital?

A1. Yes, you can still go, but there may be extra steps or paperwork. There is a system where people who have not switched can receive a “Certificate of Eligibility (shikaku kakunin-sho).”

Q2. Can I continue using only the old health insurance card?

A2. You can do so only until 1 December 2025 at the latest. After that, you must register your My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate.

Q3. Can foreign residents also use the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate?

A3. Yes. If you are enrolled in a Japanese public health insurance scheme, you can use your My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate.

■ For foreign residents: getting medical care with peace of mind

To continue living safely in Japan, switching to the My Number Card as a Health Insurance Certificate is essential.

Here are three things you can do right away:

① Apply for your My Number Card
② Register your card “to be used as a health insurance certificate”
③ Check the expiry date of your current health insurance card

If you register with YOLO JAPAN, you can receive the following information for free:

・Latest information you need for daily life in Japan
・Special offers and campaigns for foreign residents
・Job information for people who want to work in Japan

Registration is free and takes about 3 minutes.
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