You first will get a MyNumber notification card (paper) if you become a resident of Japan. You can opt-in to a physical card.
The Benefits of getting that physical card are following things will be easier:
- Do things online with Government
- Declare your tax (via e-Tax) online (compare to do 確定申告 in a designated venue with long line)
- Apply Corona stimulus money online
- Print your 住民票 in Konbini (compares to at ward office)
- Stronger identity card like driving license ID for verification (apply for credit card, open a investment account)
- More banks require this if you want to do International Wire Transfer
Getting My Number Card is to apply online, wait for about a month, then make a reservation to pick up. When you receive, you will set 2 passwords that you can use later in various places.
Some meh things about My Number Card
- It expires along with your zairyu card
- One more item you need to renew when you changed address
https://mynumbercard.point.soumu.go.jp/
Period: 2020 September 1st to 2021 March 31
This is a campaign to promote cashless payments, wider use of My Number Card (Japanese people cares about personal privacy refused these things that can track them down) and boost economy...
If you have a My Number Card, then you can pick one favorite payment service (Suica, Rakuten Pay, Paypay, LINE Pay). Then when you spend money, you can get 25% (up to ¥5,000) worth of points back.
Each payment service also adds points back on top of this My Number Card Pointback campaign.
- d払い 2500 points (so you could get ¥7500)
- WAON 2000 points (so you could get ¥7000)
- メルペイ 1000 points (so you could get ¥6000)
- 楽天Pay 500 points (so you could get ¥5500)
It is wise to go with the service if you already had an account, because the time you’ll spent to apply a new payment service and you may accidentally spent more is not worth it.
If you have kids, you could also apply My Number Card for them and join this campaign.
Start from 2021, I think the government is enforcing everyone gets a My Number Card.
If you want to do Furusato Nozei, yes.
I think yes. You’ll have one more option at hands when you needed. It is not that much of an hustle if you hold a 3-5 year VISA.