July 29, 2022 Results of Solicitation of Opinions on Draft Report of Study Group on Utilizing Post Office Data and Ideal Privacy Protection and Publication of Finalized Report

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) solicited opinions on a draft report of its discussions, a draft revision of the Explanation of the Guidelines for the Protection of Personal Information in the Postal Service Sector (Notice of the Personal Information Protection Commission and MIC No. 2 of 2022), and a draft revision of the Explanation of the Guidelines for the Protection of Personal Information in the Correspondence Mail Sector (Notice of the Personal Information Protection Commission and MIC No. 3 of 2022) for the period from Thursday, June 16, through Friday, July 15, 2022.
As a result, 18 opinions were submitted. Accordingly, MIC discloses the submitted opinions, the Study Group's views on the opinions, and the finalized report of the Study Group's discussions.

1. Background and outline

MIC organized the Study Group on Utilizing Post Office Data and Ideal Privacy Protection (chaired by TANIKAWA Shiro, Guest Professor, Public Collaboration Center, Tokyo University of the Arts) in October 2021. Since its establishment, the Study Group has discussed measures that are necessary to promote the effective use of data held by the Japan Post Group, while ensuring the confidentiality of correspondence and the appropriate handling of personal information.
For the period from Thursday, June 16, through Friday, July 15, 2022, MIC solicited opinions on a draft report of its discussions, a draft revision of the Explanation of the Guidelines for the Protection of Personal Information in the Postal Service Sector (Notice of the Personal Information Protection Commission and MIC No. 2 of 2022), and a draft revision of the Explanation of the Guidelines for the Protection of Personal Information in the Correspondence Mail Sector (Notice of the Personal Information Protection Commission and MIC No. 3 of 2022), compiled based on the Study Group's past discussions. As a result, 18 opinions were submitted.
As the Study Group has finalized the report of its discussions based on the results of the solicitation of opinions, MIC discloses the report along with the results of the solicitation of opinions.

2. Revision of the explanations of guidelines

Based on the results of the solicitation of opinions, etc., the Study Group revised the explanation of the following guidelines:

• Explanation of the Guidelines for the Protection of Personal Information in the Postal Service Sector (Notice of the Personal Information Protection Commission and MIC No. 2 of 2022)
• Explanation of the Guidelines for the Protection of Personal Information in the Correspondence Mail Sector (Notice of the Personal Information Protection Commission and MIC No. 3 of 2022)

3. How to obtain reference information

MIC will make the reference information available for viewing and obtaining copies at the Postal Policy Division, Postal Services Policy Planning Department, Information and Communications Bureau, MIC. The information will also be posted on the public comment page of the e-Gov (https://www.e-gov.go.jp/en/ ).

• *
  The published materials are in Japanese only.