An IC card that allows a service provider doing a business of loading an application into the IC card to dynamically load the application into the IC card safely after the issuance of the IC card without making a contract directly with a card issuer issuing the IC card and without establishing a communication with the card issuer. The card issuer issuing the IC card hands over an encryption key in advance to a third party other than the card issuer in order to entrust the third party with work to authenticate an application to be loaded or to allow the third party to function as an agent on behalf of the card issuer. The card issuer issues an agent certification to the third party to be used as evidence showing that the third party is an agent representing the card issuer.