Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI) Japan

Regulation Summary

Timeline

Enacted: May 30, 2003
Major Amendments: 2015, 2020
Latest Updates Effective: April 1, 2022

What Businesses Are Affected

Domestic and international businesses handling personal data of individuals in Japan.
Organizations of all sizes, including those in e-commerce, healthcare, and finance.

Exemptions

Data processed solely for personal or household use.
Data used by government agencies for national security or public safety purposes.

Responsibilities for Businesses

Transparency: Inform data subjects about the purpose of data collection.
Consent: Obtain consent before collecting, using, or transferring personal data.
Security Measures: Protect data from unauthorized access, loss, or damage.

Specific Responsibilities for Website Owners

Clearly disclose data collection practices in privacy policies.
Obtain consent for cookies and tracking technologies.
Provide accessible mechanisms for data access, correction, and deletion requests.

Additional Requirements

Cross-Border Data Transfers: Require consent and ensure equivalent protections in foreign countries.
Data Breach Notifications: Notify affected individuals and the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) of breaches involving sensitive data.
Data Retention: Minimize data retention periods and securely dispose of unnecessary data.

Data Subject Rights

Access: Request copies of their personal data.
Correction: Update inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erasure: Request data deletion under specific conditions.
Opt-Out: Object to the use of their data for certain purposes, such as marketing.

Enforcement

Regulatory Body: The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC).
Penalties: Fines up to 100,000,000 JPY (~USD $915,000) for severe violations, along with administrative actions.