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News & Updates
August 7, 2026
Update of the “Legal Explanation on Data Transfer Outside of Japan” page
In accordance with Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI), when the Rakuten Group provides customers’ personal data to third parties located outside Japan, we disclose information on the personal information protection systems of those countries through our Privacy Center.
The information regarding each country’s legal framework is primarily based on materials published by Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PPC). This time, SmartNews, Inc., Mercari, Inc., Recruit Co., Ltd., and Rakuten Group, Inc. jointly conducted a review of updates to the personal information protection systems of various countries.
Based on the results of this review, we have updated the information to reflect the latest available information as of the March 2026 survey.
For further details, please refer to the "Legal Explanation on Data Transfer outside of Japan".
December 19, 2025
Revision of Specified User Information Handling Policy
We revised the Specified User Information Handling Policy on December 19, 2025.
- We added provisions regarding the data handling by non-Japanese outsourcing partners.
- We revised the policy on disclosing leakage incidents.
For details, please refer to the Specified User Information Handling Policy below.
December 19, 2025
Disclosure of Incidents Involving Specified User Information
We hereby disclose specified user information leakage incidents, as stipulated in Article 27-5 of the Telecommunications Business Act.
| Time of Occurrence | Summary of the Incident |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | An incident occurred where email history with other customers was displayed within the email list display function, which is provided for communication between shops and customers on Rakuten Group, Inc.’s online shopping mall, "Rakuten Ichiba" customers' My Page. In response, we immediately fixed the system bug and confirmed that similar issues will not occur in the future. |
| October 2025 | Regarding notification emails sent to customers who canceled or modified their subscription service on our online shopping mall "Rakuten Ichiba," an incident occurred due to a system update bug where the email addresses of customers and store representatives, which should have been encrypted by our "Anshin e-Mail Address Service," were sent unencrypted. In response, we immediately fixed the system bug and confirmed that similar issues will not occur in the future. |
December 19, 2025
Launched new sections, " Details of Use" and "Rakuten Privacy School".
- We have established a section titled “Details of Use” that provides an in-depth explanation of how we use and handle customers’ personal information. In addition to “How We Use Your Information,” we have newly added the two articles below.
Rakuten's Commitment to Child Privacy and Online Safety
Usage of Geo-location Data and Rakuten’s Efforts for Its Appropriate Protection - We have launched a new section, “Rakuten Privacy School,” which introduces educational programs designed to foster awareness of privacy and data protection.
November 26, 2024
Renewal of "How we use your information" page
Rakuten Group has updated and renewed the "How We Use Your Information" page to provide our customers with clearer insights into how we handle your information.
April 17, 2024
Establishment of the Specified User Information Handling Policy
In June 2023, the Japanese Telecommunications Business Act was amended to require businesses utilizing Specified User Information to create and disclose its handling policy.
We established this policy with the aim of ensuring customer understanding of the purposes and protection measures related to the Specified User Information handled by Rakuten Group, Inc., in accordance with the requirements of the law.
Please refer to the Specified User Information Handling Policy from here.
November 28, 2023
Released new Articles to "Understand Privacy"
We have added two articles to the "Understand Privacy" page to provide useful privacy information for you.
Sensitive Data and the Importance of Protecting Your Privacy
Transfer of Personal Data to Third Parties in Japan
June 16, 2023
Rakuten Group's Response to "Regulations on External Transmission" in the Amended Japanese Telecommunications Business Act
The Japanese Telecommunications Business Act has been revised, stipulating rules regarding the "external transmission of user information" using cookies and SDKs. Rakuten services in scope of these regulations, created a page explaining External Transmission. Rakuten Group, Inc. added the external transmission list here. A link titled "About External Transmission" has been set up in each app in scope.
November 30, 2022
Rakuten Granted Approval for Binding Corporate Rules by United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office
Rakuten Group, Inc. announced that approval was granted by the United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) on May 19, 2022, for the U.K. Binding Corporate Rules (“U.K. BCR”) submitted by Rakuten Group.
Released new Articles to "Understand Privacy"
We have added two articles to the "Understand Privacy" page to provide useful privacy information for you.
Your Rights
Data Transfers to Other Countries
March 31, 2022
Updated the Rakuten Group, Inc. Privacy Policy
We updated some parts of Rakuten Group, Inc. privacy policy. For more details regarding this amendment, please read here.
Release of the new Understand Privacy section
We have created "Understand Privacy" page to provide useful privacy information for you.
March 14, 2022
Amendment of Rakuten Group, Inc. Privacy Policy
We are going to update Rakuten Group, Inc. privacy policy on March 31st, 2022, to reflect the changes to the Act on the Protection of Personal Information that will come into effect on April 1st, 2022. For more details, please read here.
November 22, 2021
Renewal of "Privacy Center" page
Rakuten Group has renewed its "Privacy Center" page to help you to use our services with peace of mind, and to deepen your own understanding of privacy.
In the future, we will expand the contents related to personal information and privacy, which are closely related to our customers' daily lives as well as our services.
August 23, 2017
On the Opening of the Rakuten Privacy Center
Rakuten Group is entrusted with and makes use of customers’ personal data in its various services, so protecting customer privacy is of utmost importance to us.
To ensure that our customers can continue to use our services with peace of mind, we are committed to explaining the policies by which we protect their privacy.
This privacy center is the embodiment of that commitment, bringing together important and relevant information about Rakuten privacy protection policies. We look forward to updating and enriching the content in future.
Contact Us
If you have any questions for “Rakuten Group, Inc. Privacy Policy” and “Privacy Center”, Please contact us from here.
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