DISCOVERING AMERICA
In the United States, there is one question you will almost always hear when trying to sign up for anything: “Do you have an SSN?” It is more than just a bureaucratic check—it signals whether you are part of the system. Drawing from firsthand experiences in early 1990s California, this article explores what an SSN really means and how it underpins a society built on credit.
The First Question That Surprises Every Japanese Visitor
After arriving in California and settling in for a while, I began to hear the same question over and over again.
“Do you have an SSN?”
Having just come from Japan, it sounded almost like some kind of secret code. SSN… it meant Social Security Number. Banks would ask, and phone companies would ask. Whenever I tried to sign up for something, this was almost always the first question.
“Do you have an SSN?”
Of course, I didn’t. When I said no, the person would hesitate slightly, looking a bit unsure, and then say, “Okay, your passport will do.” At that moment, anyone newly arrived from Japan realizes something. In America, you are asked for a number before your name.
What Is a Social Security Number?
Originally, the SSN was created for the U.S. social security system. It is issued by the Social Security Administration, and the system began in 1936. Its purpose was simple: pensions, taxes, and employment records—all managed under a single number. But in America, anything convenient quickly expands in use, and before long, the SSN was no longer just a social security number. It appeared in bank accounts, credit cards, and insurance—virtually every kind of contract. In effect, the SSN became a credit identity within American society, functioning almost like a national ID.
A Country Where Nothing Works Without an SSN
In the 1990s, the SSN appeared in nearly every aspect of life in the United States. Apartment leases, phone contracts, bank accounts, car insurance, credit cards—what they all share is the concept of credit history. Can this person be trusted? That judgment is made using the SSN. You have a number, the number creates a history, and the history creates trust. In America, society operates in this order: Number → History → Credit.
Who Can Get One
However, not everyone can obtain this number. In principle, SSNs are issued only to U.S. citizens, permanent residents (green card holders), and foreign nationals with work authorization. Tourists and most students cannot get one. I actually tried once myself. In the early 1990s, before the internet, the only option was to go directly to a Social Security Office and ask. The building was a government office, but it felt more like a bank lobby. To apply, you first had to take a number from a strip of paper in a wall-mounted case, tearing it off to keep your place in line. It was an extremely analog system, yet there was a certain rational simplicity to it. When my turn came, I asked, “Can a Japanese person get an SSN?” The woman smiled and replied, “If you work, yes.” With that one sentence, my plan came to an end. People who work in America and pay taxes there—that is who the number is for. Tourists and students don’t need it, because they are not participating in the system.
A Small Discovery
There was something else I found interesting while living in America. Some people had their SSN engraved on their watches or cameras, as a way to identify ownership in case of theft. In other words, the number could prove who something belonged to.Just like automobile license plates. Not a name, but a number. Here again, the number represents the person. At one point, I realized something. That familiar question—“Do you have an SSN?”—probably meant this: “Are you part of this society?”
The Difference from Japan
Whenever I think about this system, I’m reminded of Japan’s My Number system. The differences are quite significant.
United States
- In place since 1936
- Widely used in the private sector
- Commonly required for banking, credit, and contracts
Japan
- Primarily for administrative use
- Rarely used in banking or contracts
- A relatively new system
The time gap is also significant. The U.S. system began in 1936, while Japan’s came in the 21st century—nearly a 100-year difference.
A Society Where Numbers Come First
It’s hard to say which system is better. In America, the number comes first, then the person. In Japan, the person comes first, then, cautiously, the number. Each reflects its own balance of logic and caution. But one thing is certain. That question I kept hearing in California in the early 1990s—“Do you have an SSN?”—was not just a bureaucratic formality. It felt like a quiet question asked at the entrance to American society. In America, a number may be something like a “ticket of admission” to the system.