Ryota Takeda, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, was hiring at a press conference on the 19th in response to the problem that personal information of users of the free communication application “LINE” was available for viewing at affiliated companies in China. He expressed his intention to suspend the operation of the company’s service used for soliciting opinions. He also revealed that he requested local governments nationwide to check the usage status and report it by the 26th.
Mr. Takeda said, “From the perspective of ensuring an environment where users can use telecommunications services with peace of mind, I would like to firmly grasp the facts and take appropriate measures.”
According to Mr. Takeda, local governments nationwide are using LINE to apply for admission to nursery schools, provide consultation services from residents, and collect oversized garbage in order to improve convenience and work efficiency for residents.
Takuya Hirai, the minister in charge of digital reform, also stated that “it is a case of high public interest” and requested the Personal Information Protection Commission to take prompt action. He says Hirai uses LINE privately, but plans to continue using it in the future.