Asia - Pacific

APPI Compliance

Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information

APPI is Japan's law governing the handling of personal information, enforced by the PPC. It applies extraterritorially to foreign businesses handling the personal data of individuals in Japan, with corporate fines up to ¥100 million and possible imprisonment for individuals in serious cases.

Japan
Jurisdiction
¥100M
Max corporate fine
2003
Year enacted
2022
Latest amendment
PPC
Enforcing authority

What is APPI?

The Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI), most
recently amended in 2022, governs how businesses handle personal
information in Japan and is enforced by the Personal Information
Protection Commission (PPC). 

Who needs to comply with APPI?

Any business handling the personal information of individuals in
Japan, including foreign businesses with no physical presence in the
country. 

What are the key requirements
of APPI?

01

Specifying and notifying the purpose of use for personal information 

02

Obtaining consent for cross-border data transfers, unless an adequacy or contractual safeguard applies 

03

Honouring individual rights to disclosure, correction, and suspension of use 

04

Reporting data breaches that meet the notification threshold to the PPC and affected individuals 

05

Appointing a representative in Japan if a foreign business has no local presence 

What are the penalties for APPI non-compliance?

Corporations can face fines of up to ¥100 million, with imprisonment possible for individuals in serious cases, alongside PPC corrective orders. 

Contáctanos

¥100 mil

Fine per violation

Imprisonment

For individuals in serious cases

PPC

Corrective orders

How does GDPRLocal help with APPI?

GDPRLocal supports you with everything APPI requires: compliant notices, cross-border transfer mechanisms, local representative appointment, and breach-response processes aligned with PPC guidance, for foreign and domestic businesses alike. 

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Frequently asked questions about the APPI