http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20020529wo02.htm Yomiuri Shimbun
Personal information on people who had requested information from the Defense Agency under the Freedom of Information Law was distributed among senior agency officials, The Yomiuri Shimbun learned Tuesday.
According to senior Defense Agency officials, lists included information on the company, organization or citizens group that the individuals who sought agency information belonged to.
Along with the names and addresses of individuals who requested information from the Defense Agency and the information they requested, the list included data on their company sections, leading to suspicion that the agency was investigating the individuals.
The list was compiled about three months after the Freedom of Information Law went into effect in April 2001, the officials said.
Under the Law on the Protection of Computer-processed Personal Data Held by Administrative Organs, administrative bodies, such as Defense Agency, are required to limit the disclosure of personal information.
"It's acceptable to produce a list of people who requested information, but the list must not include information irrelevant to the disclosure of information or be shown to agency sections to which the information is irrelevant," an official of the Public Management Ministry said.