Japan’s Minister of Digital Technology Taro Kono says he will give up his salary for three months in response to problems with the My Number digital identity system, writes The Register.
He made this statement in response to an interim report on the confusion in the system. In doing so, the politician fulfilled his own promise to punish himself for the poor rollout of the project.
The interim report revealed problems with linking disability records to the My Number card. There were also cases of incorrect linking of health insurance data, as well as errors in the pension records of civil servants.
The My Number card was introduced in 2016. It is linked to a variety of government services, including driver’s licenses and tax services. It is equipped with a microchip and a photo. Problems with the card have not stopped.
The local government plans to review the rules and formulate new principles for digital identifiers by the end of September. Taro Kono noted that the ministry he heads will also release a review by the end of November.
“As the digital minister, I recognize that I should draw a line,” said the minister.
It is worth noting that such a reaction is not uncommon among Japanese politicians. For example, in 2018, the finance minister gave up his annual salary because of a corruption scandal. And in 2011, the prime minister refused to take a salary because of the situation at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
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