Japan will stop accepting traditional health insurance cards after July 31, 2026 [3].
This transition marks the end of a temporary measure that allowed expired cards to remain valid. For citizens who have not yet switched to the My Number-linked system, the shift could result in significant financial burdens during medical visits.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said that the provisional period for traditional cards expires at the end of July [3]. Patients who fail to transition to the My Number-linked health insurance card may be required to pay 100% of their medical costs out-of-pocket [4].
This move is part of a broader government effort to integrate health insurance with the national My Number identification system. The transition aims to streamline medical records, and administrative processes across the country.
Adoption of the new system has seen steady growth. In April 2024, the utilization rate for the My Number health insurance card was 68.15% [1]. Other reports indicate the adoption rate was approximately 68% during that same period [2].
Despite the high adoption rate, the government is urging the remaining population to complete the necessary registration before the deadline. The shift removes the reliance on the pre-MyNumber paper and plastic cards that have been the standard for decades.
Medical providers nationwide are preparing for the deadline to ensure patients are not denied coverage or surprised by full billing. The government said that the July 31 deadline is final for the current temporary extension [3].
“Patients who fail to transition to the My Number-linked health insurance card may be required to pay 100% of their medical costs out-of-pocket.”
The expiration of this grace period represents the final stage of Japan's digital transformation of its healthcare access system. By linking insurance to the My Number ID, the government is consolidating fragmented data into a single digital identity. The threat of 100% out-of-pocket costs serves as a high-pressure incentive to ensure total compliance and eliminate the administrative overhead of managing legacy paper systems.
