Privacy Policy

Concerning personal information used for the purposes of news reports and literary work

For more than 120 years since its establishment, Toyo Keizai Inc. has widely contributed to the public interest as a news medium providing news, publications and various statistics data.
In these activities as a news media organization, our company acquires, uses and retains a large amount of personal information.
The Exclusion from Application in Article 57 of the “Act on the Protection of Personal Information” specifies that the provisions in Chapter 4, which stipulate the duties of entities handling personal information, shall not apply when personal information is handled by news media including broadcasting, newspaper, and news agencies for the “purpose of news reports” or, for the “purpose of literary work.”
Respecting the role of news organizations and writers who value freedom of speech and freedom of expression and contribute to the people’s right to know, this provision is essential for the continuation and development of a democratic society.
Our company aims to contribute to the establishment of a free but disciplined economic press at all times. In order to contribute greatly to the people’s right to know, our company will continue to perform as a news media organization that people can trust.
However, the personal information that our company acquires, uses and retains is important in relation to fundamental human rights, namely privacy. Knowing that the handling of such information requires the utmost care, our company has established its own original internal management, administration and utilization system.
Our company will continue to appropriately and voluntarily handle the information regardless of the exclusion provision concerning news reports. Our company will make every effort to review and improve our handling of the personal information we acquire, use and retain for the purposes of news reports, literary work and academic studies.
Our company promises to appropriately manage the personal information in order to fully contribute to public interest at all times.

Hiroaki Takita, President of Toyo Keizai Inc.

News, publications, statistics and databases delivered by Toyo Keizai Inc. as a news organization

Concerning personal information not suitable for the purposes news reports and literary works

Our company handles large amounts of personal information in our businesses relating to magazines and books, online services, advertising, conducting seminars and others. Our company recognizes the importance of that information, and to protect the rights of individuals, we comply with laws and regulations relating to the personal information and handle that information appropriately in accordance with the following.

Purpose of the acquisition and use of personal information

Our company appropriately acquires and uses personal information only to the extent necessary for our business activities. We do not handle personal information beyond the scope of the identified purposes.
The personal information acquired by our company may be used for the following purposes:

(1) For providing applied and contracted products and services and for other related customer service.
(2) For providing information about our company’s products, services and seminars.*
(3) For surveys and questionnaires to help improve and develop our company’s products and services.*
(4) For providing products, services and other information from corporations and organizations that our company believes are beneficial to customers.*
(5) For the creation and provision of other products and services of our company, including corporate information database that contains personal information.
(6) For business communications from our company.

* During the processes of using the personal information described in (2), (3), and (4) above, our company may use and analyze individual users’ website browsing and purchase history.

Rules when offering personal information to a third party

Except in the following cases, our company does not provide personal information to third parties without the consent of the concerned individual.

(1) When it is necessary to protect life, health or property; and it is impossible to obtain consent from the user.
(2) When it is based on the Act on the Protection of Personal Information and other laws and regulations.

Internal organization

Our company manages personal information with the utmost care in accordance with internal company rules and through the establishment of an organization specialized in handling personal information, placing key people in charge of such information in relevant departments.

Security control measures

Our company takes the following measures for the appropriate management of personal information, that is being collected or have been collected, to avoid the leakage, loss or destruction thereof.

(Establishment of basic policy)
Our company established this privacy policy to ensure the appropriate handling of personal information and to notify users of contact information for inquiries and complaints.
(Establishment of regulations regarding personal information handling)
Our company established the Personal Information Management Regulations to specify handling procedures, responsible personnel and persons in charge, and their roles in the acquisition, use, retention, provision, deletion, and disposal of said personal information.
(Organizational security control measures)
Our company assigns responsible personnel
(Officer in charge of Personal Information Control) to handle personal information.
Our company clarifies employees handling personal information and the range of personal information that said employees shall handle.
Our company established its reporting and liaison system connected directly to the personal information management supervisor for use when identifying violations of laws and in-house regulations or signs thereof.
Our company carries out periodical self-inspections of its handling of personal information as well as audits by other divisions and departments or external persons.
(Human security control measures)
Employees take periodical training to learn and ensure a thorough understanding of points to consider for the handling of personal information.
Our company established the rules of employment to specify provisions regarding employee obligation of confidentiality regarding personal information.
(Physical security control measures)
Our company implements employee access control for sections handling personal information to prevent access to personal information by unauthorized employees.
Our company takes measures to prevent theft or loss of devices, electronic media and documents containing personal information.
Our company takes measures to prevent personal information from easily identifying specific individuals to protect privacy when transporting devices and electronic media that contain personal information in and out of the office.
(Technical security control measures)
Our company implements access control to limit persons in charge and the range of personal information to be handled.
Our company implements a system to protect its personal information handling system from unauthorized external access and unauthorized software.
(Understanding of external environment)
Our company takes security control measures based on a thorough understanding of the personal information systems in the United States where personal information is retained.
(Although there are some states in the United States that specify their own personal information protection laws, there is no comprehensive federal law regarding personal information protection. Our company, however, has established a system that prevents companies retaining personal information from using said personal information. In addition, our company also has a system that ensures an appropriate response to customer requests for the disclosure or discontinuation of the use of their personal information in accordance with laws and regulations.)

Outsourcing

Our company may outsource the delivery of products to customers and analyses of purchase history, etc. to a third party. In such cases, our company shall supervise the contractors appropriately in accordance with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information.

Procedures for the disclosure of personal information retained by our company

Our company responds to customer requests regarding their personal information, including notification of the purposes of use, disclosure (including record of provision to third parties), revision, discontinuation of use, or discontinuation of the provision thereof to a third party (hereinafter “Disclosure, etc.”) as described below.

*Please click here to see “Procedures for the Disclosure, etc. of Personal Information, etc. Retained by Our Company.

Inquiry

If you have comments or questions concerning the handling of personal information, please send an email to: Personal Information Management Committee Secretariat（privacy@toyokeizai.co.jp）.
This privacy policy may change due to an amendment of laws and regulations or a change in social norms.

Hiroaki Takita,

President and Officer in charge of Personal Information Control, Toyo Keizai Inc.
1-2-1 Nihonbashi Hongokucho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8345, Japan

Established on April 1, 2005
Revised on October 5, 2011
Revised on August 15, 2017
Revised on July 16, 2020
Revised on October 31, 2021
Revised on April 1, 2022
Revised on April 8, 2024