Driver's License Data Breaches Becoming Major Concern in Japan

Tokyo, Oct. 11 (Jiji Press)--Massive driver's license data breaches that recently hit the Times Car vehicle-sharing service in Japan due to a cyberattack have made many people in the country scramble to seek reissuance of their licenses.

The move apparently reflects concerns about the possibility of their driver's license data being abused. Still, police say that driver's license renewal would have only a limited effect in preventing crime damage.

The National Police Agency is urging financial institutions and other businesses to thoroughly conduct identity verifications while calling on individuals to seek police consultations immediately when fraud or abuse of their personal data is suspected.

Image data on some 1.6 million people, including of driver's licenses with facial photos, are believed to have leaked from the Times Car service, run by an affiliate of Park24 Co.

Since the data breaches were announced, police stations and driver's license centers around the country have received massive inquiries about renewing license data.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]