The new privacy legislation prepared by the government -- a replacement for a similar measure that died in last year's Diet session -- represents a step forward. The improved version leaves out, among other things, rules that would unreasonably restrict the media handling of personal information. It excludes media organizations, as well as individual reporters and journalists, from the proposed regulatory and punitive provisions.

The new bill, which incorporates changes proposed by the ruling coalition, is expected to reach the Diet floor next month. The government wants to have it voted into law during the current regular session, which is scheduled to end in late June. The going will not be smooth, however, in part because some of the previously proposed provisions have been retained. The possibility remains that the government might tighten its grip on certain organizations such as citizens groups.

The latest privacy protection bill has three main features. First, the five "basic principles" included in the aborted bill -- such as the one limiting the use of information by purpose -- have been removed. The media has objected to the inclusion of these restrictive guidelines, and with good reason. For example, a reporter trying to interview a person involved in a bribery scandal would have been required, in an extreme case, to tell the person how information would be used.