April 2022 to March 2023

Yusuke Koizumi (Chief Fellow, Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies)

　In this research, we conducted a literature review and analysis of the following two themes, resulting in information and recommendations that we disseminated both internally and externally.

(1) Research on advanced national ID use cases
　National IDs have been introduced in various countries around the world, including developed, emerging, and developing countries, mainly for the following two purposes: physical identification in the real world and electronic identification online. The latter, commonly referred to as "eID" or digital ID, is the key to providing efficient and convenient services to the public. In Japan and other countries, digital IDs are implemented using electronic certificates (public key infrastructure (PKI)) installed on ID cards. However, because they are not always easy to use, many countries are studying and implementing other more user-friendly methods. These include adding a digital ID function on smartphones and using fingerprint, face, or other biometric information as digital ID credentials. In this research, we surveyed and analyzed advanced use cases for national ID/digital ID overseas and examined the ideal framework for national ID/digital ID in Japan.

(2) Examination of the vision for the ideal use of national ID in society
　We examined the basic principles necessary for the use of national ID in modern society from two perspectives. First, we viewed it as the foundation for a social system that enables all people to freely reach their full potential and pursue their own happiness and the welfare of others in a digital society. Second, we viewed it as the foundation for a social system that addresses the risks of the vulnerable suffering from disadvantages caused by globalization, such as disparities between the rich and the poor, infectious diseases, conflict, and authoritarianism.