Data Protection and Privacy

With the frequent amendments to the Act on the Protection of Personal Information and the enactment and amendment of numerous administrative guidelines, the Japanese regulatory environment in the area of privacy and data protection is becoming increasingly complex. In Japan, there have been many cases in which companies have been subjected to severe public scrutiny for inappropriate and inadequate processing of personal data or explanations to data subjects, regardless of whether they are in violation of laws or regulations.

In light of growing consumer awareness of personal data and privacy, businesses must adopt appropriate measures that not only comply with the Japanese regulatory regime but also reflect best practices. Simultaneously, businesses need to ensure that business innovation is not impeded by excessive restrictions on the use of personal data, including Big Data. By drawing on our understanding of the regulations as well as our knowledge of the ways in which businesses are approaching Japanese data protection compliance, we provide pragmatic solutions and add value to our clients’ businesses.

In addition, with the globalization of business activities and the extensive cross-border exchange of personal data, it is a progressively important issue for multinational businesses to observe data protection regulations in jurisdictions across the globe, including not only the General Data Protection Regulations of the EU (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) but also Asian data protection laws and regulations. Our privacy and data protection team has wide experience in advising global firms in the context of foreign data protection regimes in collaboration with our network of lawyers throughout the world.

We advise clients on the full range of privacy and data protection issues. In relation to data incidents, our cross-disciplinary team provides various support services, including dealing with regulatory authorities, litigation response, and conducting internal investigation.