Privacy Policy - Mizuho International

1. Introduction

Mizuho International is committed to safeguarding the privacy and personal data of all individuals who interact with our website, mizuho-int.com. We understand the importance of privacy in the digital age and prioritize compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect personal information and affirms our ongoing efforts to maintain the trust of our users and customers.

2. Scope of Policy and Data Controller Role

This Privacy Policy applies to the collection and processing of personal data via our website, mizuho-int.com, and all related services. For the purposes of applicable data protection laws, Mizuho International acts as the “Data Controller” — meaning we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal information. Questions or concerns related to this Policy or data processing can be directed to [email protected].

3. Categories of Personal Data We Process

We process personal data you provide directly, as well as data collected automatically when you access or use mizuho-int.com. The categories of personal data include:

– Usage Data: Includes information about your browser, IP address, pages visited, session duration, referring websites, and general site interaction patterns.
– Account Data: Includes information you provide when registering for an account—such as name, mailing address, email address, and phone number.
– Profile Data: Includes preferences, purchase history, behavioral patterns, and any personalization settings relevant to your interaction with our site and services.
– Communication Data: Includes data related to your communications with us, including customer support inquiries and engagement history.
– Technical Data: Includes information about the devices used to access our site, such as device type, operating system, system configurations, screen resolution, and language preferences.
– Transaction Data: Includes payment information (processed securely via third-party platforms), billing and shipping details, and information relevant to completed or pending transactions.
– Preference Data: Includes records of your preferences regarding marketing communications, product interests, and opt-in/opt-out status for various forms of contact.

4. Legal Bases for Processing

Under the GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases to process your personal data:

– Consent: Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., marketing communications).
– Contract: Processing necessary for the performance of a contract with you, including fulfilling purchases and providing services.
– Legal Obligation: Processing necessary for compliance with legal or regulatory requirements.
– Legitimate Interests: Processing necessary to pursue our legitimate business interests, provided they are not overridden by your rights and interests (e.g., website functionality, fraud prevention, user experience improvement).

5. Your Rights

Under applicable data protection laws, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

– Right of Access: You may request confirmation of whether we are processing your data and access to a copy of such data.
– Right to Rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
– Right to Erasure (“Right to Be Forgotten”): You may request deletion of your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.
– Right to Restrict Processing: You may request that we temporarily or permanently stop processing all or some of your data.
– Right to Data Portability: You may request to obtain and reuse your personal data across different services in a structured, commonly-used, and machine-readable format.
– Right to Object: You may object to processing relying on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.

You can exercise these rights at any time by contacting us at [email protected].

6. Security Measures

We implement robust technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data. These include:

– Encryption of data at rest and in transit.
– Role-based access controls and authentication protocols.
– Regular backups, disaster recovery planning, and business continuity procedures.
– Staff training programs on data privacy and information security standards.

While we take all reasonable steps to secure your data, no system can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. Users are encouraged to take personal precautions when sharing data online.

7. International Data Transfers

Your personal data may be transferred to, accessed in, or stored in jurisdictions outside of your home country, including the United States and other locations where our affiliates or service providers operate. In such cases, Mizuho International ensures that appropriate safeguards are implemented, including standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission and adherence to regional legal frameworks to ensure equivalent data protection levels.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or reporting requirements. Data retention periods vary by category:

– Account Data: Retained as long as your account is active, and for up to 7 years thereafter for legal compliance.
– Transaction Data: Retained for 7 years to comply with financial and tax regulations.
– Communication and Support Data: Retained for up to 3 years following the last contact.
– Cookie and Usage Data: Retained for up to 2 years, unless consent is withdrawn sooner.

Upon expiration of retention periods, data is securely deleted or anonymized.

9. Cookie Policy

mizuho-int.com uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance website functionality and user experience. Cookies we use fall into the following categories:

– Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality and the provision of services requested.
– Functional Cookies: Enable improved personalization and site functionality.
– Analytics Cookies: Used to collect data on website usage patterns and traffic for performance optimization.
– Performance Cookies: Help us measure effectiveness, such as loading speeds and responsiveness.

10. Cookie Management and Compliance

Upon visiting mizuho-int.com, you are presented with a cookie consent banner in accordance with GDPR and CCPA requirements. You may opt in or out of non-essential cookies at any time through our Cookie Settings interface. Your preferences are recorded and respected. Additionally, users may adjust browser settings to manage or block cookies globally; however, doing so may impact site functionality.

California residents may also exercise CCPA rights, including opting out of the “sale” of personal data, via our Do Not Sell My Info page or by emailing [email protected].

11. Children’s Privacy

Our website and services are not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect or process data of individuals under 13 years old. If we learn that personal data of a child has been inadvertently collected, we will take immediate steps to delete such information. Parents or legal guardians who believe that their child’s personal data has been submitted are encouraged to contact us at [email protected].

12. Policy Updates and Notifications

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, operational practices, or feature enhancements. Any material changes will be communicated via notices on mizuho-int.com or through direct email, if appropriate. Continued use of our services following changes will constitute acknowledgment of the updated terms.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data handling practices, please contact:

Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mizuho-int.com

Your trust is vital to us. We adhere to the highest standards of privacy and security and are committed to ensuring full compliance with all applicable data protection regulations. If you have any privacy concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.