Privacy Policy

1. Definition of personal information

In this Policy, "personal information" means personal information as defined in Article 2(1) of the APPI: information about a living individual that can identify a specific individual by name, date of birth, address, phone number, email address, organisation, title, etc. (including information that can be readily combined with other information to identify a specific individual), and information containing personal identifiers.

2. Collection of personal information

We collect personal information by lawful and fair means through any of the following channels.

• Input via the inquiry form, resource-download form, seminar sign-up form and similar forms on our website
• Communication via email, phone, postal mail, fax and other means
• Exchange at business-card exchanges, meetings, exhibitions, industry events, etc.
• Submission of résumés and CVs during recruitment
• Lawful provision by contractors and business partners

3. Purpose of use

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes.

• Responding to inquiries, resource requests and related communications
• Delivering our services (food import/export support, regulatory affairs, factory technology, workforce development) and fulfilling contracts
• Organising and operating seminars, webinars, briefings and similar events
• Distributing our newsletters, mailing lists, industry reports and similar publications
• Requesting cooperation for surveys, interviews and case-study publications
• Recruitment screening and subsequent HR management
• Business-partner management, invoice/contract issuance and accounting
• Improving service quality and our website
• Responding to laws, regulations and guidelines

4. Provision to third parties

Except in the following cases, we do not provide personal information to third parties without the individual's consent.

• Where required by law
• Where necessary to protect a person's life, body, or property and it is difficult to obtain consent
• Where especially necessary for the improvement of public health or the sound development of children and it is difficult to obtain consent
• Where cooperation with a national or local government agency (or a party commissioned by them) performing statutory duties is necessary, and obtaining consent would impede the performance of those duties
• Opt-out cases where required items have been notified or announced in advance

5. Provision to contractors

We may outsource all or part of the handling of personal information to the extent necessary to achieve the purposes of use. In such cases, we enter into personal-information-protection agreements with contractors and provide appropriate supervision. Major contractors include:

• Cloud service providers (email delivery, storage, CRM, etc.)
• Translation and interpretation providers (when delivering multilingual services)
• Customs brokers and logistics providers (when performing import/export work)
• Accounting/tax advisors and legal counsel

6. Provision to third parties overseas

Given the nature of our food import/export business, we may provide personal information to third parties located overseas such as local buyers, regulatory authorities and partner organisations. In such cases we follow the procedures set out in the APPI and take the required measures before providing the information.

7. Security control measures

To prevent leakage, loss or damage of personal information and to maintain its security, we take the following measures.

• Organisational measures: Appointment of a data-protection officer, maintenance of handling rules, and staff training
• Personnel measures: Awareness of confidentiality obligations and acquisition of non-disclosure agreements
• Physical measures: Access control at offices, locked storage of documents and media
• Technical measures: Access controls, encrypted communications (SSL/TLS), anti-virus software, log management

8. Cookies and access analysis

Our website may use cookies and access-analysis tools to improve our services and the site itself. Cookies do not identify individuals, and you can refuse or delete them via your browser settings.

This site uses Google Analytics provided by Google LLC for access analysis. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect user information, but the collected information does not include personally identifiable information. Collected information is managed according to Google's privacy policy.

• Google Privacy Policy
• Google Analytics opt-out add-on

9. Disclosure, correction, suspension of use

If the individual or an authorised representative requests disclosure, correction, addition, deletion, suspension of use, erasure or suspension of third-party provision ("disclosure, etc.") of retained personal data, we will respond within a reasonable time and scope as required by the APPI.

Requests for disclosure, etc. should be addressed to the contact window in "12. Contact" below. We will verify that the requester is the individual or a legitimate representative and respond accordingly.

10. Personal information of minors

When collecting personal information from minors (under 18), we obtain parental consent. In principle, our services target corporate and business-to-business transactions, and we do not provide services directed at minors.

11. Changes to this Policy

We may revise this Policy as necessary in response to legislative changes or other needs. Material changes will be posted on our website and, where appropriate, communicated individually. The revised Policy takes effect from the time it is posted on our website.