Information We Collect

When you reach out to us or use our services, we collect certain information. Not because we're nosy, but because we need it to actually do our job well.

Information You Give Us Directly

• Your name, email address, and phone number when you contact us
• Company details if you're reaching out for business services
• Project requirements and preferences during our conversations
• Feedback and communications you share with our team
• Payment information when engaging our services (processed through secure third-party providers)

Information We Collect Automatically

Like most websites, ours collects some technical data when you visit. This helps us understand how people use our site and where we can improve.

• Browser type and device information
• IP address and general location data
• Pages you visit and how long you stay
• Referring website or search terms that brought you here
• Date and time stamps of your visits

How We Use Your Information

We're not in the business of collecting data just to have it. Everything we collect serves a real purpose for delivering better service to you.

• Processing payments and maintaining accurate financial records
• Improving our website experience based on how visitors interact with it
• Sending occasional updates about our services (only if you've agreed to receive them)
• Meeting legal obligations and protecting both our rights and yours
• Analyzing trends to better understand client needs in the Japan market

Legal Basis for Processing (Japan Context)

Under Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI), we process your data based on specific legal grounds. Here's what that means in practice:

How We Protect Your Information

Security isn't just an IT checkbox for us. We take multiple steps to keep your data safe from unauthorized access or misuse.

That said—and this is important—no system is completely bulletproof. While we do everything reasonable to protect your information, we can't guarantee absolute security. If we ever experience a data breach that affects you, we'll let you know promptly and clearly about what happened and what steps we're taking.

Sharing Your Information

We're not in the business of selling your data. Period. But we do work with some trusted partners to deliver our services effectively.

Service Providers We Work With

• Hosting providers who keep our website running and data stored securely
• Payment processors who handle transactions (they have their own strict security standards)
• Email service providers for sending project updates and communications
• Analytics tools that help us understand website usage patterns

We might also share information if required by Japanese law, court order, or legal process. Or if necessary to protect our rights, property, or safety—or yours.

Your Privacy Rights

Your information belongs to you. Under Japanese privacy law, you have several rights regarding how we handle it.

What You Can Request

• Access: Ask us what personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request corrections if information we have is inaccurate or outdated
• Deletion: Ask us to delete your information (with some exceptions for legal requirements)
• Usage suspension: Request that we stop using your data for certain purposes
• Data portability: Get a copy of your information in a commonly used format
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time

Data Retention

We don't keep your information longer than necessary. But "necessary" varies depending on what type of information it is.

• Project-related communications: Kept for the duration of our working relationship plus 3 years
• Financial records: Retained for 7 years to comply with Japanese tax law
• Marketing consent records: Maintained until you withdraw consent, then deleted within 90 days
• Website analytics data: Typically retained for 26 months, then automatically deleted
• General inquiries: Deleted after 2 years if no business relationship develops

When we delete your information, we do so securely and permanently—not just archived where it could be recovered.

International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers are located outside Japan. When we transfer your data internationally, we make sure it's protected according to Japanese standards.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies—small text files stored on your device. Most websites do this. Here's what ours are actually doing:

• Essential cookies: Keep the website functioning properly (you can't really disable these without breaking things)
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand which pages people visit and how they navigate the site
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings and choices for a better experience

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Just know that blocking certain cookies might affect how well the site works for you.

Children's Privacy

Our services aren't designed for or directed at anyone under 16 years old. We don't knowingly collect information from children. If we discover we've accidentally collected data from a child, we'll delete it right away.

Changes to This Policy

We might update this privacy policy occasionally as our practices evolve or laws change. When we do, we'll update the date at the top and post the new version here.

For significant changes that affect how we handle your information, we'll notify you directly via email if we have your contact details. Otherwise, we'll post a clear notice on our website.

Questions and Complaints

If something about our privacy practices concerns you, or you have questions we haven't answered here, please reach out. We'd rather hear from you directly than have you worry about it.