150 citizens sue gov’t over My Number system

The plaintiffs claim that the new system infringes privacy rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Around 150 citizens filed lawsuits Tuesday with five regional courts in Japan demanding the government suspend the use of identification numbers under the new My Number social security and tax number system due to be launched in 2016. The plaintiffs claim that the new system, which allocates a 12-digit identification number to every resident of Japan to simplify administrative procedures for taxation and social security, infringes privacy rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The 150 citizens lodged lawsuits with district courts in Miyagi, Niigata and Ishikawa prefectures as well as in Tokyo and Osaka. Similar lawsuits are planned in Kanagawa, Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures. Source: Kyodo Video and image: ANN Share this:TweetEmail