英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun
People’s understanding, confidence indispensable to My Number system
マイナンバー　国民の理解と信頼が不可欠だ

The My Number system, under which 12-digit identification numbers are assigned to everyone in the nation, has started. Everyone should be notified of his or her identification number through November. The numbers will be used to handle administrative and other procedures beginning next January.
　全国民に１２桁の番号を割り当てる共通番号（マイナンバー）制度が始まった。来月にかけて番号が通知され、来年１月以降、行政手続きなどで番号が利用される。

The system is key to realizing fair and efficient systems for taxation and social security. The people’s understanding and confidence are indispensable to the implementation of the system because it is closely linked with their lives. The government must provide meticulous explanations and make sufficient arrangements.
　公正で効率的な税や社会保障の実現に向けた重要な基盤だ。生活に密接に関わるだけに、定着させるには国民の理解と信頼が欠かせない。政府には丁寧な説明と十分な体制整備が求められる。

Under the My Number system, personal information that has until now been managed separately to handle such things as income, taxation and pensions will be integrated under one number. My Number identification cards will be distributed to those who request them.
　マイナンバーは、所得や納税、年金など、別々に管理されてきた個人情報を一つの番号で結びつける仕組みだ。希望者には身分証になる番号カードが交付される。

Administrative organizations will collate the personal information on these matters and use them to impose proper taxation and provide welfare benefits. This can contribute greatly to enhancing the efficiency of clerical work. Application procedures can be made easier by merely producing identification numbers in such situations as applying for child allowances.
　行政機関は、これらの情報を照らし合わせて、適正な課税や社会保障給付に役立てる。大幅な事務の効率化も期待できる。国民は児童手当の申請時などに番号を提示すれば、手続きが簡単になる。

The use of the integrated identification numbers will be limited for the time being to taxation, social security and relief at the time of disaster. It is reasonable to start the operation of the My Number system discreetly while attaching importance to protection of personal information.
　マイナンバーの利用範囲は、当面、税と社会保障、災害時の支援の分野に限定される。個人情報の保護を重視し、慎重に運用を始めるのは妥当だろう。

To make the system function effectively, however, it is necessary to widen the scope of its use in phases.
　ただし、制度を有効に機能させるには、段階的に利用範囲を広げていく必要がある。

Beginning in 2018, the identification numbers will be linked to the savings accounts if the account holders approve. This is aimed at determining personal assets accurately, thereby preventing such things as tax evasion and illegal receipt of livelihood protection. The government is looking into the possibility of making it mandatory to integrate the savings accounts under the My Number system in 2021.
　２０１８年以降は、本人の同意を条件に預貯金口座にマイナンバーを連結できるようになる。個人資産を正確に把握し、脱税や生活保護の不正受給などを防ぐ狙いだ。政府は２１年を目途めどに義務化することも検討している。

Firm info management vital

Amid ballooning social security costs, it is imperative to call on the elderly to share the burden according to their economic capabilities and to switch over to a system under which benefits are provided for those in need. To this end, correctly grasping personal information on income and assets is indeed important.
　社会保障費が膨張する中、高齢者にも経済力に応じた負担を求め、本当に援助すべき人に絞って給付する方式への転換が必要だ。そのために、収入や資産の正確な把握が重要なのは確かだろう。

Utilization of the My Number system in the medical field is also a task to be tackled. Integration of information on medical care and checkups into the system would help prevent duplication of examinations and medication, thereby enhancing the efficiency of medical treatment and reining in medical costs.
　医療分野での活用も課題だ。診療や検診の情報が連結されれば、検査や投薬の重複防止など医療の効率化と費用の抑制に役立つ。

Given the personal data breach of the Japan Pension Service, the people have deep concerns about the divulging and abuse of personal information. The government must expedite efforts to strengthen information management systems with the involvement of municipalities and businesses that handle identification numbers.
　日本年金機構の個人情報流出問題を受け、国民には情報漏洩ろうえいや悪用への不安が強い。政府は、番号を扱う自治体や企業も含め、情報管理体制の強化を急ぐべきだ。

In connection with the new system, the Finance Ministry abruptly proposed a plan to use My Number cards ostensibly to lessen the burden on consumers when the consumption tax is raised from the current 8 percent to 10 percent. Under the plan, price data for food and drinks would be collected after My Number identification cards are swiped in terminal devices at store counters, and money equivalent to the tax payments of two percentage points would be paid back for qualified purchases.
Caution must also be taken against fraud and other crimes whose perpetrators may try to exploit the introduction of the My Number system.
　制度導入に便乗した詐欺などの犯罪も警戒せねばならない。
　疑問なのは、消費税率１０％時の負担緩和策として、財務省が唐突に番号カードを利用する案を示したことだ。カードを店頭の情報端末にかざすと飲食料品の購入額データが蓄積され、申請すれば２％分が給付されるという。

The proposed system would force consumers to follow complicated procedures and increase the dangers of card losses and thefts. This may increase the people’s anxiety about the consequences of implementing the My Number system. The ministry must withdraw the plan immediately.
　消費者に煩雑な手続きを強いる上、カードの紛失や盗難の危険も増す。マイナンバー制度導入への国民の不安感を高めかねない。即刻撤回されるべきである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 12, 2015)