ThinkSCIENCE, Inc., recognizes the importance of information security and the protection of personal information, and manages and protects the personal information that the company possesses in accordance with the “Act on the Protection of Personal Information” of Japan, any applicable lawful act or regulation that outlines the protection of personal information, and the ThinkSCIENCE “Data Protection and Information Security Policy”.

This policy explains:

• 1. The ThinkSCIENCE data protection principles
• 2. Collection of personal information and purpose of utilization
• 3. Management and protection of personal information
• 4. Provision of personal information to a third party
• 5. Inquiries about personal information

Personal information, or personal data, is any information that can personally identify an individual. Under the company’s “Data Protection and Information Security Policy”, processing of personal data complies with the following principles of good practice. These principles provide that personal data will be

• collected fairly and lawfully,
• collected and processed for only the purpose of utilization,
• kept insofar as it is adequate, relevant, and not excessive,
• kept secure and safe from unauthorized access, accidental loss, or damage,
• kept accurate and complete,
• held no longer than necessary,
• processed in line with the data subject’s rights.

ThinkSCIENCE will collect personal information through appropriate and fair means and will utilize it to provide the services outlined in our Terms and Conditions for Supply of Services, for the purposes below.

• To provide translation, editing, writing, education, and other services and products described on the company’s websites or directly agreed with a customer
• To provide information, campaigns, and services relating to the ThinkSCIENCE membership program
• To provide information, campaigns, and services relating to the Writing Road service, a secure e-learning service for authors, provided by ThinkSCIENCE
• To provide information, campaigns, and services relating to the Q&A Pros service, a secure online question and answer service for authors, provided by ThinkSCIENCE
• To respond to inquiries
• To conduct sales analysis and develop new products and services

However, these restrictions do not apply in any of the following cases:

• Cases in which the handling of personal information is carried out pursuant to laws and regulations
• Cases in which (i) the handling of personal information is necessary for the protection of the life, body, or property of an individual and (ii) it is difficult to obtain the consent of the customer
• Cases in which (i) the handling of personal information is specially necessary for improving public health or promoting the sound growth of children and (ii) it is difficult to obtain the consent of the customer
• Cases in which (i) the handling of personal information is necessary for cooperating with a state organization, a local government, or an individual or a business operator entrusted by either of the former two in executing the affairs prescribed by laws and regulations and (ii) obtaining the consent of the customer is likely to impede the execution of the affairs concerned

A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser if you agree. Cookies help us to improve our website and deliver services in the best way we can. By agreeing to accept cookies, you agree to the use of cookies on the ThinkSCIENCE website as follows:

• Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are required for certain features on websites to function properly, such as cookies that enable users to log into secure accounts or use a shopping cart. We do not use these on the ThinkSCIENCE website. These cookies are required for our separate Writing Road and Q&A Pros websites to function properly. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into your secure account for Writing Road and Q&A Pros and to use a shopping cart.
• Analytical / Performance cookies: These cookies allow us to count the number of visitors to our website and to see generally how visitors move around the website when using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works. We use Google Analytics for this purpose, including if you came to our site by clicking on one of our advertisements offered through the Google AdWords service. By agreeing to this Privacy and Cookies Policy, you agree to the use of cookies by Google Analytics. Google may use the data collected to evaluate activity on our site and Google has its own privacy policy. You can find more information on how Google Analytics secures collected data here.
• Functionality cookies: These cookies are not used on our ThinkSCIENCE website. They are used on our separate e-learning Writing Road and Q&A Pros websites to recognize you when you log in, which enables us to offer you the e-learning services that you have purchased and to provide you with personalized content about your purchases; for example, tracking your learning progress, providing appropriate certificates and resources, and storing your questions for our editors and our editors’ answers for later retrieval.

ThinkSCIENCE has in place robust and secure information technology systems, stringent confidentiality agreements (including non-disclosure), and rigorous procedures (including employee training and audit) to prevent unauthorized access to or the loss, destruction, alteration, or leakage of personal information. Personal information collected via our online forms is protected by SSL encryption.

ThinkSCIENCE will not disclose or provide personal data to a third party, except in the cases described below.

• Cases in which the handling of personal information is carried out pursuant to laws and regulations
• Cases in which (i) the handling of personal information is necessary for the protection of the life, body, or property of an individual and (ii) it is difficult to obtain the consent of the customer
• Cases in which (i) the handling of personal information is specially necessary for improving public health or promoting the sound growth of children and (ii) it is difficult to obtain the consent of the customer
• Cases in which (i) the handling of personal information is necessary for cooperating with a state organization, a local government, or an individual or a business operator entrusted by either of the former two in executing the affairs prescribed by laws and regulations and (ii) obtaining the consent of the customer is likely to impede the execution of the affairs concerned

ThinkSCIENCE will accept a formal written request for disclosure of personal information held by the company about you. ThinkSCIENCE will require documentation to verify the identity of the requestor and will respond to any request after necessary investigation and in accordance with the “Act on the Protection of Personal Information” of Japan.

Requests about personal information and any comments or inquiries about this Privacy and Cookies Policy should be sent to us at the following address.

Privacy Officer: Shinsaku Hayashi
Personal Information Handling Desk
ThinkSCIENCE, Inc.
AI Bldg Kayabacho 2F
1-6-12 Shinkawa
Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0033, Japan

Last revised on 7 July 2024