1. Introduction
GTR Auto (“Company”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) operates vehicle export, domestic vehicle sales, spare parts distribution, and automotive concierge services centered in Tokyo, Japan. We recognize the profound importance of protecting personal information submitted to us by customers, commercial partners, prospective buyers, and site visitors worldwide.
This Privacy Policy sets out our principles for collecting, managing, and safeguarding information gathered through our web platform, direct email inquiries, and dedicated customer communication channels including WhatsApp and LINE.
2. Information We May Collect
We collect only the information necessary to evaluate customer vehicle requests, process vehicle trade-ins or sales, arrange international shipping documentation, and fulfill technical customer support inquiries. We strictly refrain from deploying non-essential behavioural surveillance or intrusive third-party data broker toolsets.
Full legal name, preferred salutation, email address, direct phone number, mobile messaging identifiers (WhatsApp/LINE account handles), residential or corporate delivery address, destination seaport for export consignments, and specific communication preferences.
Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN / Japanese Chassis Codes like BNR32, BCNR33, BNR34), Japanese registration certificates (Shaken-sho), photographic documentation of vehicles or parts, mileage records, service histories, auction sheet assessments, and financial settlement preferences.
Standard technical server logs transmitted by your browser or operating system, such as IP addresses, access timestamps, browser user-agent tokens, referring URLs, and network diagnostic parameters strictly recorded for infrastructure protection and security validation.
3. How We May Use Information
Data collected by GTR Auto is utilized solely for lawful operational, commercial, and engineering purposes directly connected to our vehicle services:
- Inquiry Fulfillment & Sourcing: Responding to specific vehicle sourcing inquiries across Japanese domestic auctions (USS, TAA, CAA, JU) and specialist partner dealer networks.
- Export & Maritime Logistics: Preparing export certificates, de-registration titles (Massho), bills of lading, customs manifests, and marine insurance filings.
- Appraisals & Purchasing: Reviewing vehicle condition data submitted by owners seeking to sell performance vehicles directly to our inventory.
- Component Verification: Processing technical requests for authentic OEM and NISMO / heritage spare parts sourcing.
- Infrastructure Integrity: Preventing fraudulent transactions, combating bot attacks, and enforcing our terms of service.
4. Basis for Handling Personal Information
Under Japan’s Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI, Act No. 57 of 2003, as amended in 2020 and 2022), personal information handling must occur within a clearly identified Scope of Utilization. GTR Auto maintains legal bases including:
Handling necessary to formulate vehicle quotation contracts, auction bidding mandates, or domestic transport arrangements requested by you.
Explicit consent granted when voluntarily completing our web forms, transmitting vehicle documents, or initiating direct LINE / WhatsApp communication.
5. Enquiry Forms & Uploaded Files
When submitting vehicle appraisals, sell-your-car forms, or spare parts matching requests, users may upload documentation including Japanese vehicle inspection certificates (自動車検査証), chassis plate photographs, and high-resolution engine bay records.
• Uploaded assets are routed immediately to secure, restricted-access storage repositories accessible exclusively by authorized Japanese appraisal inspectors.
• Sensitive Japanese administrative markings (e.g., previous owner address seals) are redacted during domestic verification where legally permitted.
• Files submitted for evaluation are never made accessible to public web scrapers or indexed by external search engines.
6. Cookies & Similar Technologies
Our web platform operates on high-performance minimalist principles. We do not use intrusive third-party cross-site advertising trackers. We utilize only essential session-based cookies and localization preference tokens.
| Cookie Name | Classification | Purpose | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
gtr_session |
Strictly Necessary | Maintains state across enquiry navigation and file submission flows. | Session |
gtr_lang |
Functional | Remembers user language selection (English vs. 日本語). | 1 Year |
gtr_security_token |
Security | CSRF protection token preventing cross-site request forgery. | Session |
7. When Information May Be Shared
GTR Auto does not sell, lease, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties under any circumstances.
Data is shared exclusively on a strict need-to-know basis with verified operational partners required to complete your vehicle purchase, inspection, or shipment:
- Logistics & Shipping Lines: Japanese roll-on/roll-off (RORO) carriers, container freight stations, and designated clearing agents for export manifest filings.
- Japanese Government Authorities: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and Japan Customs for vehicle deregistration and export clearance certificates.
- Accredited Inspection Agencies: JEVIC, JAAI, or EAA where destination import rules legally mandate pre-shipment biosecurity or roadworthiness certification.
- Infrastructure Service Providers: Secure cloud data center hosts bound by strict non-disclosure and APPI-compliant data handling contracts.
8. International Handling of Information
Because GTR Auto serves an international client roster across North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the UAE, and Southeast Asia, personal data may be coordinated across international borders between our Tokyo operations center and destination freight handlers.
In compliance with Article 28 of the APPI regarding cross-border transfers, we ensure that foreign logistics recipients maintain data protection standards equivalent to Japanese statutory requirements or that transfers occur with your direct, informed agreement for executing export delivery contracts.
9. How Long Information Is Kept
We retain personal information only for the duration necessary to satisfy the commercial purposes outlined herein, or to fulfill statutory obligations imposed by Japanese commercial and fiscal legislation:
• Routine Inquiries (Unexecuted): Kept for a maximum of 12 months following last correspondence to facilitate follow-up inquiries, after which records are purged.
• Vehicle Purchase & Export Transactions: Commercial transaction invoices, export certificates, and customs records are maintained for 7 years pursuant to Japanese National Tax Agency statutory recordkeeping laws.
• Customer Support & Dispute Logs: Retained for the applicable statutory limitation period under Japanese contract law.
10. How Information Is Protected
We employ rigorous physical, organizational, and technical safeguards engineered to protect personal information against unauthorized disclosure, alteration, destruction, or interception:
Strict TLS 1.3 cryptographic protocols across all public interfaces.
Internal staff access restricted strictly to authorized logistics personnel.
Enterprise hosting with firewalls, intrusion auditing, and automated vulnerability audits.
Note: While GTR Auto enforces institutional security controls, no internet data transmission can be guaranteed to be absolutely impervious. We advise exercising discretion when transmitting confidential financial documentation.
11. Requests Concerning Personal Information
In accordance with Japan’s APPI, verified individuals hold distinct statutory rights regarding retained personal data held by GTR Auto:
• Disclosure: Right to confirm whether we hold your retained personal data and receive a formal transcript.
• Correction & Rectification: Right to request corrections if recorded vehicle specifications, shipping addresses, or contact information are inaccurate.
• Cessation of Use or Deletion: Right to demand suspension of use or deletion where data was acquired unlawfully or is no longer necessary for stated vehicle export operations.
To lodge an official statutory request, submit your inquiry in writing through our Contact Page with government-issued identification verification. We respond within statutory timelines (typically within 30 business days).
12. Children's Privacy
Our platform, vehicle sales inventories, export coordination, and parts sourcing services are directed exclusively to adults aged 18 and older who legally qualify to execute binding automotive purchase and international shipping agreements. We do not knowingly solicit or collect personal information from individuals under the legal age of majority.
13. Third-Party Websites & Services
Our website provides direct interactive links to third-party communication tools including WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc.) and LINE (LY Corporation), as well as maritime vessel tracking portals and Japanese auction appraisal databases.
These external platforms maintain autonomous privacy practices independent of GTR Auto. We encourage all users to inspect the individual privacy declarations of external providers before submitting confidential information through their networks.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We reserve the prerogative to modify this Privacy Policy to reflect evolving Japanese automotive regulations, legislative adjustments to the APPI, or updates to our operational logistics infrastructure.
Any revisions will be posted directly to this URL with an updated "Last Updated" timestamp. Continued engagement with our digital services or submission of vehicle inquiries following such postings indicates recognition of the updated terms.
15. Contact About Privacy
For formal questions regarding this Privacy Policy, your statutory APPI privileges, or data processing procedures, please contact us.