National ID Card and eID in Foreign Countries 3/3

By Yusuke Koizumi, Chief Fellow

 It is not only one means that “electronic ID (eID)” is installed in national ID card (e.g. public electronic certificate being installed in IC chip). There are many countries where eID is installed not in national ID card, but in other media or in set up in other manner with priority on usability rather than on security.

 For example, Singapore or South Korea are using simply ID number and password as eID. In Singapore the personal authentication service by ID number and password called SingPass is popular and used for online administrative service, but Singapore central bank request two-factor authentication as well.

 Also in South Korea the resident registration number has been long used as identification means not only for public service, but also for private online service such as online shopping. Since 2006 new authentication system has been introduced using ID number for internet named i-PIN alternative to the resident registration number. The i-PIN consist of 12 digit numbers, but is not qualified for tax administration or online banking as it is considered low in the level of security.

 Among developing and emerging countries there are such countries as using biometric information as means of eID. In India the combination of Aaghaar number (equivalent to national ID number) and fingerprint is authorized as personal authentication means. Aadaar is a 12 digit random number, issued to the residents of India. As of May 2017 tje number of Aadhaar registrants was 1,147 million (about 88% of the total population). Every resident is entitled to voluntarily obtain as Aadhaar number by submitting basic personal information and biometric information such as ten fingerprints, two iris scans and facial photograph.
 Resident can open a bank account associated with Aadhaar number at the time of Aadhaar number registration. The major feature of Aadhaar number system is that the personal authentication by individual's biometric information (fingerprint) is authorized for online transaction. Resident can use this Aadhaar number to make online banking transaction such as deposit, withdrawal and transfer at remote rural area where no bank branch nor ATM exist. Banking agents can use mobile terminal with fingerprint reader to read applicant's fingerprint to authenticate the applicant. In India there is Drect Benefit Transfer service, and in this service Government's social benefits and subsidies are directly paid to people's bank account based on Aadhaar number. More specifically subsidies for LP gas kerosene, maternity benefits, employment benefits, pension and so on are paid directly to bank account.
 There are other countries using biometric information as eID means including South Kore, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Côte d'Ivoire and Brazil.
 As the social situations of these countries are different from Japan, it is not practical to argue about the introduction of these systems as they are directly to Japan. It should be, however, required that we should discuss and study possible use of a variety of eID including the use of biometric information (fingerprint, face) in order to enhance the public administrative service and to secure the measure for identification at the time of disaster. The discussion and study should be made also from the viewpoints of practicability of use, privacy, security and correctness of authentication.