Quarantine and Health Monitoring (Follow-up) Operations for Overseas Entrants

Privacy Policy

Latest revision date: May 25, 2022

1. Basic Policy

  • The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (hereinafter referred to as "the Ministry") acknowledges the importance of information, including personal information of persons who plan to enter or have entered into Japan, as well as a receiving organization(hereinafter referred to as "overseas entrants, etc."), handled under quarantine operation (Note 1) and health monitoring (follow-up) operation (Note 2) (hereinafter referred to as "operations"), and undertakes social responsibility to protect such personal information. Therefore, the Ministry will comply with laws and regulations concerning personal information, Act on the Protection of Personal Information and the Ministry’s internal policies, to collect, use and manage personal information in an appropriate manner in accordance with this Privacy Policy (hereinafter referred to as "Policy").


    (Note 1) This operation confirms the status of inspections and vaccinations, contents of written pledges and questionnaires (passport number, emergency contact information, place of stay in Japan, health condition, etc.) submitted by overseas entrants who plan to enter Japan.

    (Note 2) This operation manages health condition reports, isolation location reports and current location reports provided by overseas entrants determined by the Japanese government to be subject to monitoring (follow-up) by the Health Monitoring Center for Overseas Entrants during specified period of quarantine, determined considering the incubation period of infectious diseases, at home or designated accommodation facility.

2. Scope of Application

3．Controller of Personal Information

  • The controller of personal information in the operations is:


    Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

    1-2-2 Kasumigaseki Chiyoda-ku Tokyo, 100-8916 Japan


    ※Please refer to section “10. Contacts” for contact information

    The Ministry has appointed Director of Health Service Division of Health Service Bureau and Director of Quarantine Affairs Division of Pharmaceutical Safety and Environmental Health Bureau as data protection officers for the operations, to manage and supervise compliance with this Policy.


    《Contact information of the data protection officer》

4. Type, Purpose of Use, and Source of Personal Information

  • The Ministry will handle personal information collected through the operations in the public interest based on the Quarantine Act (Article 16-2) and Act on the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients with Infectious Diseases (Article 15-3) or for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Ministry. The type, purpose of use, and source of personal information to be collected in the operations are as follows.


Personal information Purpose of Use Source

Basic Information (Name, gender, date of birth, address, email address, telephone number, nationality, certificate of eligibility number (technical intern training or student), etc.)

・To identify, manage, and verify the identity of overseas entrants’ information

・To communicate with the Ministry of Justice (Immigration Services Agency), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Embassies, Consulates) and other relevant ministries and agencies, local public health offices, medical institutions, accommodation facilities, etc.

・From overseas entrants (via MySOS, health cards, questionnaires, written pledges, etc.), whether in electronic or written form.

・From the responsible person of receiving company/entity (company/entity which employs overseas entrants, or accepts them for business or entertainment purposes)

・From the Ministry of Justice (Immigration Services Agency), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Embassies, Consulates), local public health offices, medical institutions, accommodation facilities, etc.

Passport information (Passport number and photo)

・To identify, manage, and verify the identity of overseas entrants’ information

・To communicate with the Ministry of Justice (Immigration Services Agency), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Embassies, Consulates), and other relevant ministries and agencies

・From overseas entrants (via MySOS, health cards, questionnaires, written pledges, etc.), whether in electronic or written form.

・From the responsible person of receiving company/entity (company/entity which employs overseas entrants, or accepts them for business or entertainment purposes)

・From the Ministry of Justice (Immigration Services Agency), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Embassies, Consulates), local public health offices, medical institutions, accommodation facilities, etc.

Travel Information (Name of flight or ship, name of airport or port, date of arrival, expected date of departure, place of stay in the past 14 days, etc.)

・To identify the health condition before and at the time of entry into Japan

・To monitor (follow-up on) health condition after entry into Japan

・To communicate with the Ministry of Justice (Immigration Services Agency), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Embassies, Consulates), and other relevant ministries and agencies, local public health offices, medical institutions, accommodation facilities, etc

・From overseas entrants (via MySOS, health cards, questionnaires, written pledges, etc.), whether in electronic or written form.

・From the responsible person of receiving company/entity (company/entity which employs overseas entrants, or accepts them for business or entertainment purposes)

・From the Ministry of Justice (Immigration Services Agency), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Embassies, Consulates), local public health offices, medical institutions, accommodation facilities, etc.

Health information (Information on certificates of inspection and vaccination, PCR test results, health condition during self-isolation period, monitoring (follow-up) status, close contact with COVID-19 positive or symptomatic person, symptoms (such as fever, cold, abnormal health condition), medication, visits to medical institutions, etc.)

・To identify the health condition before and at the time of entry into Japan

・To monitor (follow-up on) health condition after entry into Japan

・To cooperate with the Ministry of Justice (Immigration Services Agency), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Embassies, Consulates), and other relevant ministries and agencies, local public health offices, medical institutions, accommodation facilities, etc.

・To ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment (to encourage overseas entrants who have reported illness to contact local public health offices)

・From overseas entrants (via MySOS, health cards, questionnaires, written pledges, etc.), whether in electronic or written form.

・From the responsible person of receiving company/entity (company/entity which employs overseas entrants, or accepts them for business or entertainment purposes

・From the Ministry of Justice (Immigration Services Agency), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Embassies, Consulates), local public health offices, medical institutions, accommodation facilities, etc.

Isolation location, current location, and transportation from airport to isolation location

・To check the self-isolation status at the quarantine location reported by the entrant (to confirm overseas entrants’ current location)

・From overseas entrants (via MySOS, health cards, questionnaires, written pledges, etc.), whether in electronic or written form.

・From the responsible person of receiving company/entity (company/entity which employs overseas entrants, or accepts them for business or entertainment purposes)

・From use of smartphone functions by overseas entrants

Visual/Audio information (face, background, and audio during video calls)

・To identify and manage overseas entrants’ information

・To check the self-isolation status at the isolation location reported by the entrant (to confirm overseas entrants’ current location)

・From use of smartphone functions by overseas entrants

Information on use of export sales stores (tax-free shops)

・To conduct proactive epidemiological investigations based on Article 15 of the Act on Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients with Infectious Diseases

・From export sales stores, the National Tax Agency, etc.

Contact information (name, e-mail address, telephone number, etc.) from inquiries and system problem reports, etc.

・To respond to inquiries

・To investigate system problems, etc.

・To verify details such as time of response to system, problems, etc.

Information entered by the person or representative (including by e-mail)

(Handling of children’s personal information)

As part of operations, the Ministry may collect personal information for children aged 12 years and younger. In such cases, the Ministry will collect such information based on parent/guardian's consent by the following methods:


・Children shall submit a written pledge with the parent/guardian’s signature.

・Parent/guardian shall enter each child's information on the parent/guardian’s MySOS application through "Registration of Companion" option for accompanying children.


The types of personal information to be collected are described in the table above "4. Type, Purpose of Use, and Source of Personal Information”.

(Note)

・In the operations, sensitive personal information such as health information will be collected. However, such information will be utilized only to the extent as authorized per prior consent obtained.

・Personal information will not be used for automated decision making such as profiling.

5. Measures to Ensure the Security of Personal Information

  • The Ministry will take necessary measures in accordance with the “Information Security Policy of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare” to prevent leakage, loss, or damage, and properly manage all collected personal information.

6. Storage Period of Personal Information

  • The Ministry will determine the minimum period of retention of personal information required for the purpose of the operations and retain it only during this specified period. The Ministry will delete/dispose the personal information without delay upon expiration of this period.

7. Disclosure of Personal Information

  • The Ministry may disclose personal information to the third parties set out below.


Third party Purpose of Disclosure

Ministry of Justice (Immigration Services Agency) , Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Embassies, Consulates) and other relevant ministries and agencies

・To take measures in accordance with the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act in case of violation or suspected violation of the written pledge. (Revocation of status of residence, deportation procedures, etc.)

・To conduct proactive epidemiological investigations based on Article 15 of the Act on Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients with Infectious Diseases.

・To issue a visa.

Local public health offices and medical institutions

・To guide overseas entrants who have reported illness and ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

・To conduct proactive epidemiological investigations based on Article 15 of the Act on Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Medical Care for Patients with Infectious Diseases.

Responsible person of receiving company/entity (company/entity which employs overseas entrants, or accepts them for business or entertainment purposes), the ministry/agency in charge of receiving company/entity, and ministry/agency in charge of border control

・To take necessary measures in accordance with the “New Border Control Measures ” in case of violation or suspected violation of written pledge.

Accommodation facilities

・To guide overseas entrants when the quarantine station designates an accommodation facility as an isolation location.

Competent authorities of the destination country (when departing from Japan to overseas)

・To meet the obligations of participating countries as stipulated in the International Health Regulations (Article 30). (Please also refer to "9. Transfer of Personal Information to Third Countries" below.)

8. Subcontracting of Personal Information

  • The Ministry may subcontract a part of the operations (this includes not only direct subcontracting from the Ministry, but also further levels of sub-subcontracting) and outsource the handling of personal information collected through the operations.


    In such case, the Ministry will give consideration to the selection of the subcontractor, conclude an agreement with the subcontractor regarding the handling of personal information, and manage and supervise the subcontractor in an appropriate manner to ensure that the subcontractor properly protects the personal information in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations and the provisions of this Policy. The same shall apply if such a subcontractor sub-subcontracts all or part of the outsourced operations to a third party with the consent of the Ministry.


    The classification of subcontractors for the operation is as follows:

    ・System vendors developing and operating relevant systems

    ・Consulting firms, etc., providing operational support for health monitoring (follow-up) operations

    ・Security companies checking self-isolation status

    ・Cloud providers providing relevant system services

9. Transfer of Personal Information to Third Countries

  • The Ministry will manage collected personal information on the servers in Japan of a hosting company approved by the Ministry for outsource management. However, the Ministry may transfer such information to a third country overseas in the following case.


    ・In cases where information of persons departing from Japan should be notified to the competent authority of the destination country in accordance with the International Health Regulations (Article 30)


    《Personal information included in the notification》

    ・Personal identification information (name, date of birth, passport number, nationality, contact information)

    ・Flight information at the time of arrival in Japan (arrival airport, schedule, flight number)

    ・Flight information when departing from Japan (destination airport, schedule, flight number)

10. Contacts

  • If you have any questions, inquiries, or complaints about this policy or the handling of personal information in the operations, please contact the Ministry through the contact information set out below.
    The Ministry respects the rights of individuals to have their personal data disclosed (including electronic means), corrected, deleted, restricted from handling, to withdraw consent, and to object to the handling of their personal data. However, please be informed that the Ministry may not be able to respond to your requests under certain circumstances (e.g. if the request interferes with the Ministry’s legal obligations, or leads to infringement of privacy of others, etc.)




    If your concerns regarding the handling of information remain unresolved, you may consult with the supervisory authorities of the country or region you reside in.

11. Revisions to this Policy and its Method

  • The Ministry reserves the right to revise this Policy if the revision does not contradict the purpose of handling personal information as stated in this policy and is reasonable considering the necessity of the change, the reasonableness of the revised content, and other circumstances pertaining to the change. Significant revisions to this Policy will be notified by a prescribed method (announcement on the website, pop-up on MySOS, etc.) at least one week prior to the revision.

12. Use of Cookies on Websites

  • (2) About Google Analytics

    Each website usesGoogle Analyticso identify user’s usage in the website.
    Google Analytics uses Cookies to collect information to report on user information and interest categories. Please referhere for the Terms of Use of Google Analytics.

  • (3) About Cookies

    Each website uses Cookies. When a user accesses a website, a Cookie is exchanged between the website's server and the user's browser and is stored on the user's computer. Users may disable Cookies and refuse the collection of access logs in the following ways. However, please note that disabling cookies may interfere with browsing or certain functions of each website.

  • 《How to disable by the browser settings》

    Please refer to the support website of each browser or contact the manufacturer.

  • 《How to disable using add-ons》

    To disable Cookies used for Google Analytics in your browser, use the “opt-out add-on” function for your browser.

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