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.
What is APPI?
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?
Japan, including foreign businesses with no physical presence in the
country.
What are the key requirements
of APPI?
Specifying and notifying the purpose of use for personal information
Obtaining consent for cross-border data transfers, unless an adequacy or contractual safeguard applies
Honouring individual rights to disclosure, correction, and suspension of use
Reporting data breaches that meet the notification threshold to the PPC and affected individuals
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.
Teagmháil Linn¥100 mil
Fine per violationImprisonment
For individuals in serious casesPPC
Corrective ordersHow 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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