Meritco Privacy Policy

1. Our Approach to Personal Information

We comply with applicable personal information protection laws and guidelines, clearly define the purposes of use, and handle personal information lawfully and appropriately

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following information when you use the Site or provide information to us

• Your name, company, department, company size, industry, work email address and phone number
• Information provided through forms or email, including markets, products and services of interest, research needs and inquiry details
• Your choices regarding marketing emails, free trial requests and cookie settings, together with the dates and times those choices were recorded
• Pages viewed, access times, referrers, advertising and campaign parameters, IP addresses, device and browser information, and cookies or similar identifiers
• Records of communications and responses relating to inquiries and business discussions

The information collected depends on the forms, features and settings you use

3. How We Use Information

We use collected information to the extent necessary for the following purposes

• Providing access to downloadable materials
• Receiving free trial requests, confirming requirements and providing information about trial access
• Responding to inquiries about products, services, data coverage, implementation and partnerships
• Responding to customization and commissioned research inquiries, preparing proposals and quotations, and arranging contracts based on your requirements
• Analyzing and improving Site usage, traffic sources, advertising performance and content effectiveness
• Sending product, report and event information to people who have opted in to marketing emails
• Preventing spam, unauthorized access and misuse, and maintaining system security
• Meeting legal obligations, handling disputes and protecting rights and interests

4. Marketing Emails & Unsubscribing

We send occasional emails about products, reports, events and related information only to people who have actively opted in through a form or other means

Submitting a form, downloading materials, requesting a free trial or accepting cookies does not by itself constitute consent to receive marketing emails

You may unsubscribe using the link in each email or by contacting jp@meritco-group.com. You can still download materials and submit inquiries without receiving marketing emails. After you unsubscribe, we may still contact you as necessary to respond to requests or inquiries you have made

5. Cookies & Data Sent to External Services

The Site may use cookies, tags and similar technologies to provide core functions, analyze traffic, improve usability and measure advertising performance

These technologies may send information such as pages viewed, device and browser information, identifiers and interaction data to us or to external service providers. Where information obtained through cookies or similar technologies constitutes personal information when combined with other data, we handle it in accordance with applicable law

For details of how these providers use and handle information, please see Google's Privacy Policy, Google's advertising information and Microsoft's Privacy Statement

We configure the analytics and advertising tools listed above so that names, email addresses, phone numbers and inquiry text entered in forms are not sent to them

6. Managing Cookie Settings

Except for cookies and similar technologies necessary for the Site's core functions, analytics and advertising measurement technologies are activated only after consent has been given for the relevant category

When analytics and advertising measurement are introduced, we will provide settings that let you choose and change consent by category. Refusing these technologies will not prevent you from reading articles, submitting forms or downloading materials

You can also delete or restrict cookies in your browser settings. Disabling all cookies, including necessary ones, may prevent some functions from working correctly

Cookie choices and marketing email preferences are managed independently

7. Third Parties & Service Providers

We do not provide personal data to third parties without the individual's prior consent, except where permitted by law

We may engage external providers to operate the website, manage forms, and send, receive or distribute email to the extent necessary for the stated purposes. We protect personal data through provider selection, contractual arrangements and necessary and appropriate oversight

Where personal data is provided to or processed by businesses outside Japan, we take the measures required by applicable law, including providing necessary information and obtaining consent where required

8. Security & Retention

We implement security measures appropriate to the risks to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, loss or damage, including access management, staff education, and protection of communications and information systems

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the stated purposes, legal compliance and dispute handling, and delete or anonymize it appropriately when no longer needed. We may retain a minimal suppression record to continue honoring an unsubscribe request

9. Access, Correction & Other Requests

Subject to applicable law, you or your representative may request notification of purposes of use; disclosure of retained personal data and records of third-party provision; correction, addition or deletion; cessation of use or erasure; and cessation of third-party provision

Please contact us using the details below and specify your request. After any necessary identity verification, we will respond in accordance with applicable law. You may also contact us for an overview of our security measures

10. Changes to This Policy

We may revise this Policy to reflect changes in law, Site functionality or information handling. We will announce significant changes on the Site in an appropriate manner. Where a change requires new consent, we will obtain it separately

11. Company Information & Contact

Personal information handling business: Shi Yue (SH) Tech Services Co., LTD. | Address: Room 4708, 越洋広場, 1601 Nanjing West Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, China | Representative: 尹嘉路 | Contact: jp@meritco-group.com