Website Privacy Policy

1. Basic Principle Regarding Privacy

The Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies (IMES) at the Bank of Japan collects information on users of IMES, Currency Museum, and Archives websites (hereinafter the "Sites") to the extent IMES deems it necessary to efficiently provide such users with the services on the Sites. IMES uses the information collected through the Sites within the scope necessary for the prescribed purposes.

2. Scope of Information Collected by IMES through the Sites

(1) The Sites automatically collect a user's Internet domain name, Internet Protocol (IP) address, and other information related to access to the Sites. The Sites do not use "cookies" (information transmitted from IMES's server to a user's browser and stored in the user's computer so that the server is able to identify the user).

(2) IMES obtains access to a user's e-mail address when the user sends an inquiry to IMES via e-mail.

3. Purposes of Use of Information

(1) IMES uses the information described in 2.(1) as a reference for the efficient operation of the services provided by the Sites.

(2) IMES may forward the inquiry described in 2.(2) to the appropriate sections of the Bank of Japan when necessary. IMES may also use the inquiry as reference information for developing the Sites' content. IMES may use a user's name, address, telephone number and/or e-mail address to respond to the inquiry.

4. Restrictions on Use and Provision of Information

IMES will not use collected information for any purpose other than those described in 3. nor provide said information to any third party unless required by applicable law, or IMES is subject to unauthorized access, threats, or other illegal actions, or IMES has any other special reasons to do so.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, IMES may publicly disclose statistically processed information relating to access to the Sites, suggestions or comments received by IMES through the Sites, or information on users' attributes.

5. Security Measures Regarding the Sites

IMES will take necessary measures to prevent leakage or loss of the information collected through the Sites and to appropriately manage such information.

IMES may outsource the operation of the Sites, in which case IMES will direct its contractors to take necessary measures for the appropriate management of such information.

6. Disclosure of Personal Information

In accordance with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (Act No.57, 2003), users of the Sites may request IMES to disclose their own personal information collected in 2.

7. Scope of Application of the Privacy Policy

The Privacy Policy described herein is applicable only to the Sites and is not applicable to any other websites linked to the Sites.

8. Notes for Users of Social Networking Services

When browsing pages on websites that contain third-parties' social networking sites' buttons, user browsing records may be sent to third-party providers, even if the user does not press the buttons. In such cases, please refer to the individual privacy policies of such third-parties for further information.

For further information please contact: imesadmin(at)boj.or.jp ( Please change (at) to @ )