Glitch leaves Japan IDs without digital signature

A computer glitch has caused foreign residents in Japan to receive their new residence cards without the electronic signature authorized by the country's justice minister.

The glitch was discovered on Monday, which was the first day the Immigration Bureau began issuing IDs to replace alien registration cards, the Japan Times reported Wednesday. Although the error was not fixed on Tuesday, immigration officers nationwide continued to issue the cards, Eriko Tanizawa, a spokesperson for the justice bureau told the news site.

It also resulted in many foreigners who had visited immigration offices in Japan having to wait until after 1pm on Monday, when cards without the digital signatures were eventually issued, according to Tanizawa.