Due to the strict privacy laws and the government policy, not only PIs but also the general public are not allowed to get access to government data or utility company data in Japan.
We are not allowed to get access to some of the information which is commonly disclosed to society in many countries.
Therefore, we often need to employ some alternative method to get a similar result. But those methods are not as comprehensive as the information you get from the direct sources.
Below is the list of information sources when it comes to the background checks in Japan.
| Type of Check | Check resources / Remark |
|---|---|
| Criminal check | Reputation/Media |
| Civil Litigation check | Reputation/Media |
| Bankruptcy check | Public records |
| Business Interest check | Private business databases |
| Identity check (ID Card) | There is no ID # in JP except foreign residents. Address verification is available via site-visit or confidential public records database. |
| Financial Regulatory check | FSA |
| Employment check | Reference Checks |
| Alumni list or media. Enrollment/graduation records are basically unavailable unless the subject claims a certificate for themselves. | |
| Professional Qualification check | Public records or media |
| Professional Reference check | Most of the companies wouldn’t talk to investigators for reference due to the excessive Personal Information Protection Act in JP. |
