Legal Columns

[The Answer Is 'Non-Disclosure,' But Then ①] Non-Disclosure Notices from Information Disclosure Requests – You Must Verify Them Immediately Upon Receipt

Hello, I'm Administrative Agent Jean. Many people think that information disclosure requests are something only journalists or civic organizations do. But these days, that's changed. In 2023, the number of information disclosure requests reached 1.84 million annually, a 70-fold increase over the 25 years since the system was implemented. According to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, this recent surge has been driven by requests aimed at solving personal everyday problems, such as insurance claims and lawsuit preparation (2024

7/31/2026

[When the Answer is 'Non-disclosure' ①] What You Must Check Immediately Upon Receiving a Non-disclosure Notice for Information Disclosure Requests

Hello, I'm Administrative Agent Jean. Many people think that information disclosure requests are only made by journalists or civic organizations. But times have changed. In 2023, the number of information disclosure requests reached 1.84 million annually, increasing 70-fold in 25 years since the system was implemented. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, this recent growth has been driven by requests aimed at resolving personal everyday issues such as insurance claims and lawsuit preparation (2024 Information Disclosure Annual Report).