Privacy Notice

Japan Help Now ("we", "us") is the data controller for personal information processed through the Japan Help Now service ("Service"). This notice explains what we collect and why.

Using this service requires no name, no email address and no registration of any kind. There are no accounts and there are no payments. The only things we collect are: - Error reports: what you wrote and which page it was about. An email address is optional, and only if you would like a reply — reports sent without one are welcome and treated the same way. - Analytics: aggregate statistics from Google Analytics (pages viewed, approximate region, device type). We do not use it to identify you. These never reach us: - Medical translation card: conditions, allergies, medications, blood type, emergency contacts, where your passport is kept, and medication photos. All of it is stored only on your own device (browser local storage). It is never sent to our servers and we cannot see it. Clearing your browser data deletes it. - Location: used inside your browser to measure the distance to nearby contacts. It is neither sent to us nor stored.

We use what we collect only to: - Act on error reports — check them, fix what needs fixing, and reply if you asked for one. - See which pages are being read, so the Service can be improved. - Comply with legal obligations. We do not run advertising, and we do not sell or share data with anyone for their own purposes.

Where GDPR or similar law applies, we rely on: - Consent (anything you choose to enter in an error report; analytics). - Legitimate interests (improving the Service, dealing with abusive submissions). - Legal obligations.

We entrust the minimum necessary to: - Backend provider (Supabase), which stores error reports on our behalf. - Analytics provider (Google Analytics, Google LLC). - Map services (Google Maps), only when you open a directions link. - Authorities where required by law. Medical card data reaches none of them, because it never leaves your device.

Our processors may be located outside your country. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions.

Error reports are kept until they have been checked and acted on, then deleted. Analytics data follows the retention setting in Google Analytics. We cannot set a retention period for medical card data, because it exists only on your device. How long it stays is entirely your decision — clearing your browser data removes it.

We use appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or loss, including transport encryption (TLS), access controls, and log monitoring.

The Service uses browser local storage and a Service Worker to remember your language, hold your medical card, and work offline. These stay on your device and are not sent to us. There is no sign-in, so there is no session cookie. We also use cookies for analytics (Google Analytics) to understand usage and improve the Service; analytics data is processed statistically and we do not use it to identify you. None of it is used for third-party advertising. Restricting these in your browser may stop the medical card saving, and stop offline mode working.

For the medical card there is no process to go through. The data is on your device and nowhere else, so you can edit or delete it yourself at any time. If you gave an email address with an error report, then subject to applicable law you may access, correct or delete it, object to or restrict processing, withdraw consent, and lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority (EU/UK residents). Contact info@japanhelpnow.com and we aim to respond within one month. If you reported something without leaving an email address, we have no way to identify you as the sender — so unless you can point us at the specific report, we may be unable to act on a deletion request.

The Service is not intended for children under 13 (or the age set by your local law). If we learn we have collected data from such a child we will delete it.

We may update this notice from time to time. We will announce material changes in the Service itself.

Questions about this notice or your data: info@japanhelpnow.com.