共通番号法成立 公正な社会保障へ大きな一歩

The Yomiuri Shimbun May 26, 2013
My Number step toward fair, effective way to manage social security system
共通番号法成立　公正な社会保障へ大きな一歩（5月25日付・読売社説）

　◆情報漏えい対策に万全を期せ◆

The key foundation for the government to fairly and effectively impose taxes and provide social security benefits is finally set to be established.
　公正で効率的な課税や社会保障給付を行う重要な基盤が、ようやく整うことになった。

It is vital to thoroughly inform people of the new system and make it conducive to improving convenience for the public.
　国民に周知徹底し、利便性の向上に役立てることが肝要だ。

At a plenary session Friday, the House of Councillors passed bills for the so-called My Number system, under which people will be given identification numbers. The bills were supported by three major parties--the Liberal Democratic Party, New Komeito and the Democratic Party of Japan--and other parties. With the legislation passed into law, the system will start operating in 2016.
　全国民に番号を割り振る共通番号制度関連法（マイナンバー法）が参院本会議で、自民、公明、民主３党などの賛成多数で可決、成立した。２０１６年からシステムの運用が始まる。

Most developed countries already have similar numbering systems. Japan lagged in taking such a step, but we welcome the fact that a numbering system will be launched in Japan, too.
　既にほとんどの先進国が共通番号制度を取り入れている。後れを取ったとはいえ、日本でも導入されることを歓迎したい。

Public concerns eased
　◆薄らいだ国民の不安感◆

The My Number system is intended to allow administrative bodies to better manage social security and taxation information by issuing a number card with a facial photo and an IC chip to Japanese citizens.
　共通番号制度は、顔写真やＩＣ（集積回路）チップの入った「個人番号カード」を国民一人ひとりに交付し、行政機関が社会保障給付や納税を管理する仕組みだ。

Under the system, personal information about multiple subjects can be obtained simply with the individually assigned numbers. This is expected to improve the efficiency of administrative work.
　この制度を使えば、個人の複数の情報を共通番号で「名寄せ」することによって、行政事務の効率化を図ることができる。

The system can integrate records of people’s income and benefits they receive and premiums they pay for pension, health care and nursing care.
所得のほかに、年金、医療、介護の保険料負担、給付などの記録を結びつけることが可能になる。

It is likely to help prevent failure to pay pension benefits and other administrative errors. To provide substantial administrative services, this system is essential.
　年金の支給漏れの防止などにも役立つだろう。きめ細かい行政サービスを実現するためには、欠かせない制度である。

The benefits are also significant for citizens, as they will not be required to submit documents such as residence and income certificates when applying for pension and other welfare benefits. The system will enable cardholders to check their own records of pension and tax payments on computers.
　国民にとっても、年金給付の申請の際、住民票や所得証明書が不要になるなど、メリットは大きい。パソコンで自分の年金や納税の状況を調べることもできる。

Previously, the introduction of such a system had met with criticism, with opponents saying personal information might not be secure. They also complained that a national code-number system would allow the uniform management of personal data by the government.
　以前は、「個人情報流出の恐れがある」「国が個人情報を一元管理する国民総背番号制だ」といった拒否反応が強かった。

The My Number system bills were enacted in light of the stable operation of the Basic Resident Registration Network, or Juki Net, which was launched in 2002.
　今回の共通番号法が成立した背景としては、２００２年に稼働した住民基本台帳ネットワークシステムが、安定的に運用されていることが挙げられる。

Juki Net, which enables the sharing of personal records nationwide by numbering all Japanese citizens, has improved public services for people and the efficiency of administrative work. For the more than 10 years since its introduction, the system has seen no serious information leaks or other trouble. This apparently has eased public concerns over the new system.
　全住民にコード番号を付け、全国ネットで結んだこのシステムは、住民サービスの向上と行政事務の効率化で実績を上げている。１０年以上、深刻な情報漏れ事故も起きていない。国民の不安感は薄らいだと言えよう。

The new common number system will be set up based on Juki Net.
　共通番号制度は、住基ネットのシステムを土台に構築される。

The fact that the DPJ, which had opposed the introduction of Juki Net, came to power in 2009 could be a big factor behind the legislation of the common number system. The administration of Yoshihiko Noda compiled bills for the system based on its policy of promoting integrated reform of the social security and tax systems, highlighting a consumption tax hike.
　住基ネットに反対していた民主党が、０９年に政権についたことも共通番号の法制化の大きな要因と言える。野田内閣は消費税率の引き上げを柱とする社会保障と税の一体改革を打ち出す中で、共通番号法案をまとめた。

The bills cleared the Diet on Friday after being revised by the LDP, New Komeito and the DPJ. The three parties are responsible for pushing social security reforms together.
　これを自公民３党で修正したのが今回の共通番号法である。社会保障の改革は、３党が協調して進めていく責任がある。

The application of the common number system will be limited to social security and tax procedures for the time being. Care must be taken in applying the system while attaching importance to protection of personal information.
　共通番号制度の利用範囲は当面、個人情報の保護を重視し、社会保障や税の手続きに限定される。まずは運用に慎重を期すということだろう。

Medical care applications
　◆利用範囲の拡大検討を◆

The convenience of the system can be further enhanced if its application is extended to medical care information.
　診療情報などに利用範囲を広げれば、利便性はさらに高まる。

Resident cards and clinical records were lost after local government offices and hospitals were damaged in the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, hampering work to rescue disaster victims. If the common number system is used in such an event, access from anywhere in the country would make it possible to confirm victims’ medical history and provide adequate treatment promptly.
　東日本大震災の際、被災した役場や病院で住民票情報やカルテが失われ、被災者の救援に支障が生じた。共通番号を使えば、全国どこからでも被災者の病歴や服薬歴を確認でき、適切な治療を速やかに行えるのではないか。

In ordinary times, use of the system would make it possible for patients to avoid duplication of examinations and medication at two or more hospitals. It would also help prevent the risk of prescribing two or more incompatible medicines to the same patient, which could cause dangerous interactions.
　災害時でなくても、患者が複数の病院で重複して検査や投薬を受ける無駄を省ける。副作用の恐れがある薬の「飲み合わせ」防止にも活用できよう。

The government is studying a plan to introduce a system to cap each household’s expenses for medical treatment, nursing care and child care, thereby curbing their copayments. The common number system is indispensable to achieve this goal.
　政府は、医療や介護、保育などの費用総額に、世帯ごとに上限を設け、自己負担額を抑える制度の導入を検討している。その実現にも共通番号は欠かせない。

The new law stipulates that expansion of the range for application will be studied three years after the law is enforced. The government must strive to realize an effective application of the system.
　新法は付則に、施行から３年をメドに利用範囲の拡大を検討すると明記している。政府は、制度の有効活用を図らねばならない。

In the United States, where the Social Security number system is in place, a number of scams have occurred in which numbers were stolen to take out loans in identity-theft crimes.
　ただ、社会保障番号を導入している米国では、番号が盗用され、勝手にローンを組まれる「なりすまし」被害が多発している。

And in South Korea, resident registration numbers were leaked via the Internet, resulting in a number of cases of fraud in which identity thieves bought things using others’ numbers.
　韓国でも、住民登録番号がインターネット上に流出し、他人が番号を使って買い物をするなどの詐欺事件が相次いだ。

In both cases, insufficient effort was made to ensure proper identification to protect against identity theft.
　いずれも本人確認が不徹底なために起きた問題だ。

A credible system eyed
　◆信頼性の高い制度に◆

Drawing a lesson from these cases, the government must work out countermeasures.
　こうした事例を他山の石として、対策を講じてもらいたい。

To help prevent identity theft and other crimes, the new law stipulates that individual number cards with ID photos should be presented for over-the-counter identification. The law also stipulates penalties for those who leak information outside.
　新法は、被害防止のため、窓口などでの本人確認は、顔写真入りの個人番号カードで行うよう定めている。情報を外部に漏らした場合の罰則も規定した。

As a third-party organization with a high degree of independence, a specific personal information protection commission will be established. The planned body will have strong investigative authority and be empowered to issue recommendations and orders if irregularities are discovered.
　さらに、独立性の高い第三者機関として、「特定個人情報保護委員会」が新設される。強い調査権限を持ち、不正があった場合には勧告や命令ができる。

All possible measures must be taken to ensure adequate management of personal information so that the common numbering system will be trusted by the people.
　個人情報の管理に万全を期し、国民から信頼される共通番号制度にする必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 25, 2013)
（2013年5月25日01時15分  読売新聞）