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Lost or Stolen My Number Card

A lost My Number Card calls for three steps in order: suspend the card by phone, file a police report, and reapply at the ward office.12 The number itself stays the same throughout; only the physical card is replaced.3

Confirm current details with official sources

Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the Digital Agency site and your municipality. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice; if identity fraud affects your filings, consult the police and a licensed tax accountant (zeirishi).

Overview​

Losing the card does not lose the number, and a finder cannot use the card without your PINs.34 That design buys you time, but the suspension call should still happen within hours, not days.1

Reissue runs through your municipality of residence with a typical fee of 1,000 yen and an express path of about one week.56 The sections below follow the urgency order.

Step 1: suspend the card immediately​

Call the My Number General Toll-free number at 0120-95-0178 and choose 2 in the voice guidance (as of 2026-08-26; confirm current menu options with the Digital Agency).17 Suspension is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with some foreign-language support.17

This single call stops the card's functions and prevents fraudulent use.8 Make it before searching the house a second time; an unsuspended card found by someone else is the worse outcome.1

Daytime foreign-language dials also exist: 0120-0178-26 for the system and portal, and 0120-0178-27 for loss and suspension (as of 2026-08-26).9 Between 8 p.m. and 8:29 a.m., only suspension calls are accepted on the loss line.9

Call first, search second

Every hour unsuspended is an hour the card is usable by whoever holds it. Suspension is reversible if the card turns up; misuse is not.12

Step 2: file the police report​

Report the loss at the nearest police station or police box (交番, kōban, "police box") and obtain the receipt number (受理番号, juri bangō).2 Filing within 24 hours is the recommended practice in municipal guidance.2

Keep the receipt copy. Reissue procedures at the municipal counter build on it, and it documents the loss date if any dispute follows.2

Step 3: reapply at the ward office​

Apply for reissue at the counter of the municipality where you live within 30 days of losing the card.1 If circumstances prevent meeting that window, consult the municipality rather than letting the deadline pass silently.1

Bring identity verification documents; the counter issues the application form and the security-code form on the spot.1 If the lost card turns up before reissue completes, bring it to the counter for reactivation instead of filing a second application.2

Costs and timelines​

The standard reissue fee is typically 1,000 yen for the card plus the electronic certificate, or 800 yen for the card without the certificate (as of 2026-06; confirm current fees with your municipality).51011 First issuance is free; only loss, damage, and similar reissues attract the fee.5

The normal route follows the standard production window of about one month (as of 2026).6 An express issuance system running since December 2, 2024, delivers to the registered address within about one week as a general rule, with a counter fee of 2,000 yen, or 1,800 yen without certificates (as of 2026).16

ItemAmountAs ofNotes
Standard reissue, card plus certificate1,000 yen2026-06511At the municipal counter
Standard reissue, card only800 yen2026-0611Skips certificates; most uses need them
Express reissue, card plus certificate2,000 yen202616About one week, designated cases
Express reissue, card only1,800 yen202616About one week, designated cases

The table above covers reissue costs as a whole (current as described by J-LIS, Digital Agency, and municipal sources cited per row). Disaster-loss reissue can be free of charge.5

The number stays the same​

Reissue replaces the plastic, not the person. The 12-digit number is unchanged, so employers, banks, and insurers need no update from you.3

The rare number-change exception​

The number changes only where there is a risk of leak and misuse, such as documented fraud or stalking-victim cases.3 Ordinary loss or theft never qualifies; the bar is a documented danger tied to the number itself, not the card.3

Good to know​

A finder cannot use the card without your PINs​

Only minimum identity data sits on the chip, and impersonation needs the PIN, which locks after repeated wrong entries.4 That is why the card is safer in strangers' hands than a signed credit card, though suspension remains mandatory.14

Reactivate instead of reissuing if the card turns up​

A found card can be reactivated at the municipal counter after suspension.2 Bring the card itself; the counter lifts the stop without charging a reissue fee.2

See also​

References​

Footnotes​

  1. Digital Agency. "Security of the My Number Card" (suspension, 30-day reapply, express fee). https://www.digital.go.jp/en/policies/mynumber/safety ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13

  2. J-LIS. "About an Individual Number Card" (loss flow: receipt number from police, reactivation if found). https://www.kojinbango-card.go.jp/en-kojinbango/1000 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  3. Digital Agency. "FAQ: My Number (Individual Number)". Last updated 2026-03-25. https://www.digital.go.jp/en/policies/mynumber_faq_02 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  4. Digital Agency. "About My Number Card". Last updated 2026-05-26. https://www.digital.go.jp/en/policies/mynumber/pros-and-safety ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. J-LIS. Main site notice: reissue fee of 1,000 yen is typical; waived for disaster cases. https://www.kojinbango-card.go.jp/en ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  6. J-LIS. "How to Apply for the Express Issuance and Delivery System" (from 2024-12-02, about one week, fees). https://www.kojinbango-card.go.jp/en-express-apply ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  7. Digital Agency. "Inquiries about My Number System" (dial menu, hours, languages). Last updated 2026-08-26. https://www.digital.go.jp/en/policies/mynumber_contact ↩ ↩2

  8. Digital Agency. "FAQ: Using the My Number Card as the Health Insurance Certificate" (suspend via 0120-95-0178, 24/7). https://www.digital.go.jp/en/policies/mynumber/faq-insurance-card ↩

  9. J-LIS. "Contact us" (foreign-language dials 0120-0178-26/27, hours). https://www.kojinbango-card.go.jp/en-otoiawase ↩ ↩2

  10. City of Matsudo. "My Number Card" (English; 1,000 yen cash for card plus certificate). https://www.city.matsudo.chiba.jp/InternationalPortal/en/forforeignresidents/mynumbercard.html ↩

  11. City of Inagi. "My Number Card Receipt" (English, 2026-06-02; 1,000 yen, 800 yen w/o certificate). https://www.city.inagi.tokyo.jp/en/kurashi/tetsuzuki/1002613/1002622/1002628.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3