Brief History and Introduction of Privacy and Human Rights Essay

Brief History and Introduction of Privacy and Human Rights From Article 21 of the Japan Constitution states, â€Å"Freedom of assembly and association as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression are guaranteed. No censorship shall be maintained, nor shall the secrecy of any means of communication be violated.† Article 35 states, â€Å"The right of all persons to be secure in their homes, papers and effects against entries, searches and seizures shall not be impaired except upon warrant issued for adequate cause and particularly describing the place to be searched and things to be seized . . . Each search or seizure shall be made upon separate warrant issued by a competent judicial officer.†1 A 1988 Act for the Protection of Computer Processed Personal Data Held by Administrative Organs governs the use of personal information in computerized files held by government agencies. It imposes duties of security, access, and correction. Agencies must limit their collection to relevant information and publish a public notice listing their file systems. The Japanese government has followed a policy of self-regulation for the private sector, especially relating to electronic commerce. Essentially, there were no set privacy laws other than the general issues stated in the constitution, but when needed the Japanese government will intervene and regulate. In June of 1998, former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto announced that he had signed an agreement with U.S. President Clinton for self-regulation for privacy measures on the Internet except for certain sensitive data. â€Å"If data in a certain industry is highly confidential, legal methods can be considered for that industry.†2 Several committees have been ... ...s not safe. We need to take more time.†4 References 1 Constitution of Japan, November 3, 1946. 2 U.S. Japan Joint Statement on Electronic Commerce, May 15, 1998. 3 Japan: More Crime, Less Privacy, 2 Jun 1999, 4 James Brooke, Japan in an Uproar as 'Big Brother' Computer File Kicks In, 5 Aug. 2002, 5 Lies and Secrets: Japan's National ID Network Has Gone Live Already, 31 Jul. 2002, 6 Japan ID System Raises Big Brother Fears, 5 Aug. 2002,