Shameless, Outrageous Japanese Government

“Elderly to Get Pass on Setting ID Password” https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20230705-120597/

According to Japanese media, the Japanese government is now considering the national ID card issued without asking for the registration of PINs. (It’s mentioned as ‘Password’ in this report.)

Just a few days ago I presented my observation on Japan’s wrongly designed ID card system as per “Japan’s Flaky ID Card Scheme — What Lies at its Root?” (4July2023) https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hitoshikokumai_fujitsu-admits-it-fluffed-the-fix-for-japan-activity-7081881121315049472-KUtU

I wrote in it — “Those people are also the believers of a myth of PIN, that is, “PIN must be easier to remember than an alphanumeric password because it is simpler and shorter” — They seem to be just ignorant of ‘Interference of Memory’.

PIN may be easier to remember if we have to manage just one. But, what would happen when we are told to manage 2, 3, 4 and more? — Most citizens would have to rely on practicable, if very unsafe, solutions — “Reuse the same PIN across all the accounts” or “Write all PINs on a memo and carry it around with the cards requiring those PINs”. Or “Get a new PIN issued every time it is needed” to get the help desks overwhelmed.”

I am infuriated by the behaviour of the Japanese government. What drives me to call it ‘shameless and outrageous’ is that they refer to ‘dementia’ and ‘elderly’ as the pretext for it.

We know that ‘Interference of Memory’, which happens when a dataset contains only a small volume of information like PIN and makes us feel as if it were easier to remember but, in reality, is easier to cause bad confusions, is not unique to ‘dementia’ and ‘elderly’. It is found in healthy and younger generations as well.

When I was young, I boasted my memory power and yet I had difficulties in recalling-more than 2 different PINs without confusions. People who conceived, designed and are managing the system and those who report the related news must all be well aware of this phenomenon through their own experiences.

We now have to suspect that liars conceived and designed the system, liars are managing it and liars are reporting it. And, even worse, they are despicably victimising ‘dementia’ and ‘elderly’ to cover up their wrong judgements and decades-long misguiding behaviours.

Really shameless and outrageous indeed, isn’t it?

I feel strongly ashamed as a Japanese national engaged in identity assurance business even though I am working from United Kingdom.