The ministries that oversee health, industry and technology might establish a law to protect personal information related to human genetic data used in medical research.
The move, designed to prevent leaks and discrimination, comes amid concern that individuals who provide gene samples, along with their relatives, may be discriminated against or placed at a disadvantage in the event of personal data leaks.
At present, Japan only has guidelines on the protection of personal data in fundamental research. These guidelines are not legally binding.