Privacy Policy

Personal Information Protection Policy

Springer Nature Japan K.K. (hereafter “Springer Nature”) provides publications and related services including the Japanese print version of the general weekly science journal Nature, reports on science in Japan, and engages in various other activities to assume overall responsibility for Nature journal publishing activities. We at Springer Nature fully recognize our social mission to protect all the personal information we handle in conducting our business activities, and we comply with laws and regulations concerning the protection of your rights and your personal information. Furthermore, we declare our commitment to making every effort to continually improve our management system for personal information protection while establishing a framework to embody the policy stated below, and taking into consideration the latest trends in IT technology, changes in social demands, and changes in the management environment.

1. We will collect, use, and provide your personal information only within the scope necessary for achieving the execution of legitimate business of Springer Nature for the specified purposes of use including the employment of staff and personnel management. We will not make use of your personal information for any other purpose or take measures to that end.
2. We take reasonable safety precautions against the risk of unauthorized access, damage or impairment to your personal information, and continually allocate management assets in line with business circumstances to improve our personal information security system. If an untoward incident should occur, we will take prompt measures to rectify the matter.
3. We comply with applicable laws and regulations as well as guidelines and other standards relating to the protection of personal information established by the government.
4. We undertake appropriate reviews of our management system for personal information protection in a timely manner and continually make improvements while taking into consideration your needs and changes in the environment surrounding Springer Nature including trends in information technology.
5. We will respond promptly to any complaint or request for consultation concerning the handling of personal information. We educate all of our employees in this policy, and we also provide them with copies of this policy. Furthermore, we take steps to make this policy available to all persons at all times by posting it on the Springer Nature website.

If you have any questions concerning this personal information protection policy, please contact: pms-info@springernature.com

Purposes of Use of Personal Information

Springer Nature will use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

1. To confirm and deliver goods and services the customer purchases or registers for
   
• To confirm and deliver journals purchased
• To confirm applications for events and seminars and give notification of results reports
• To confirm applications for email distribution services and distribution of email
• To confirm payment of goods and services
• To provide information for continuing a subscription to a journal already subscribed to
• To forward complimentary gifts for cooperation in surveys and questionnaires

If there is a change in personal information that could impede delivery of goods or invoicing, such as a change in the name of the municipality or postal code, the name of a financial institution or credit card expiration date, Springer Nature may amend the customer’s registered information.

2. To provide or improve products and services used by the customer or to develop new services
• To improve contents of products, services or the website to enhance customer satisfaction
• To survey customer satisfaction concerning information or products ordered by the customer
• To summarize statistically processed personal information and publish it as survey results
3. To deliver information related to products and services we provide
• To provide information on periodicals, books, digital contents, various membership services and other services
• At Springer Nature we will use information such as your name, home address and email address for our campaigns and other information. In addition, we may insert in our journals promotional information from carefully selected partners of Springer Nature. In such cases, we will do so only after processing your personal information.
4. Personal information of job applicants
• To contact the applicant regarding screening for employment
5. Personal information in outsourced services
• To provide information processing services such as system development, operations management and hosting services
6. Participation in Product pilots, beta services
• You may participate in pilots or gain access to prototypes before launch of a new product. Participation is subject to specific terms and conditions, to be able to join you need to consent to those and the collection of the (personal) data categories listed in the prototype description. We will store this consent and any information provided by you during the use of the prototype (including, but not limited to, login details and history, feedback provided by you, chat histories, recordings of calls you may have joined) for the period and purposes defined in the pilot description and create reports from your feedback to enable further development of the planned product.
• We will pseudonymize your input as soon as possible and will not publish or share any input in a form that is attributable to the contributing individual.
• You may revoke your consent and quit the pilot at any time, a contact to do so is published in the pilot description.
• Though we aim at the same state of the art security for prototypes you might experience performance failure or delay due to the pilot character of such services that may affect the submission of data.

Joint Use within the Springer Nature Group

We will jointly use all personal information you provide to us at Springer Nature, Springer Nature Group companies (including our offices, which display the Springer Nature logo, in Germany, Great Britain, the United States and other countries around the world) for the purpose of use stated in the "Purposes of Use of Personal Information." The personal information subject to joint use is limited to that obtained directly from customers in writing or electronically, and is sent to and shared with the cooperating companies via post or electronic means. Springer Nature is responsible for the management of personal information we receive at Springer Nature.

Except in the case stated above, we will not provide your personal information to a third party without your consent. However, Springer Nature may entrust the handling of personal information to an agent which meets standards set by our company. In such case, we will exchange a nondisclosure agreement with the agent and we will conduct necessary, appropriate supervision of the agent to ensure personal information we entrust is safely managed.

Measures to Ensure Safe Management of Retained Personal Data

We have established rules on the handling of both personal information and specific personal information as well as rules for safety measures, and have implemented the following.

1. Establishment of the Basic Policy
• We have established a Personal Information Protection Policy and ensure that all employees are aware of its contents. We also post the policy on our website for the general public.
2. Establishment of Rules on the Handling of Personal Data
• We have procedures for handling personal data to stipulate the methods to be used at each stage from acquisition, use, storage, and provision through to deletion and disposal, as well as the supervisors and managers in charge and their duties. We have compiled these procedures into documents for dissemination throughout the company.
3. Organizational Measures to Ensure Safe Management
• We conduct periodic self-inspections to monitor the status of personal information handling, and periodically undergo impartial internal audits conducted by other departments and external parties.
• We also limit the number of employees who handle personal information.
4. Personnel Measures to Ensure Safe Management
• We provide employees with periodic training on important matters concerning the handling of personal information.
• Employees also pledge to maintain confidentiality.
5. Physical Measures to Ensure Safe Management
• We limit the areas where personal information is handled to prevent unauthorized access by employees other than those in charge of handling or by other unauthorized persons.
• We control and restrict employees entering into or exiting areas where personal information is handled.
• Personal information is stored in lockable cabinets and on servers with restricted access.
6. Technical Measures to Ensure Safe Management
• We have installed firewalls and other measures to prevent unauthorized access to servers from outside. We have also enacted measures to protect against computer viruses and other malicious software.
• We take the following measures when transporting personal information.
• When transporting media, we either use a method that records delivery or we directly hand-deliver the media.
• When sending data electronically, we make use of encryption and other leakage prevention measures.
7. Understanding of the External Environment

When handling personal data in a foreign country, we analyze and understand the external environment, and implement the necessary measures to ensure safe management based on our understanding of the laws and regulations applicable in the relevant country.

Handling the Disclosure of Retained Personal Data and Records of Provision to Third Parties

1. Declining acceptance of direct email/making changes to information

If you do not wish to receive direct email from Springer Nature in the future or if your home address or other personal information has changed, please go to Help and follow procedures.

2. Changing mailing address for subscriptions

If you wish to change the mailing address of your journal subscription, please follow procedures at Change of Address.

3. Changing website member and email magazine member information

You can amend or delete personal information after logging on to My Account on the Springer Nature website.

4. If you need to apply other than as stated above, please contact the complaint and counseling office at our company.

We will respond appropriately and promptly when we are required to notify or disclose the purpose of use of retained personal data (including disclosure of records of provision to third parties), or correct, add or delete contents thereof, or suspend the usage or provision thereof to third parties. Requests for disclosure may be made to the office for complaints and counseling as indicated below.

Contact for Complaints and Consultation
Tel: +81 (0)3 4533 8098
Email: pms-info@springernature.com

Cookies

The services of Springer Nature use “cookies” to enhance user convenience. For example, cookies allow you to remain logged on when you use our website. By saving information on your internet browser, cookies eliminate the need to re-enter information every time you log on and allow optimal viewing of contents. Your browser has settings that allow you to refuse to accept cookies, delete cookies already saved, and receive notices when a cookie has been sent to your browser. If you choose not to use cookies, you may not be able to utilize all functions of the service.

Furthermore, we use Google Analytics to improve the service and collect statistics regarding your access to the site. For an explanation of Google Analytics terms of use, please visit the Google Analytics website. Please note that Springer Nature accepts no responsibility for damages resulting from use of the Google Analytics service.

Established May 15, 2006
Revised July 31, 2024

Antoine Bocquet, CEO and Representative Director
Springer Nature Japan K.K.