日本語 | English | 中文
Privacy Policy
This English version is a translation for reference. If it differs from the Japanese version, the Japanese version prevails. 日本語版
The Alpine Avalanche Research Institute, a general incorporated association (hereinafter "AARI"), handles the information it obtains through the Avalanche Database (this includes the website at https://avalanche-data-base.online/ and the screens that you add to your home screen;
hereinafter the "Service") and the information the Service stores on users' devices as set out in this Privacy Policy (this "Policy").
Article 1 (Operator)
- Name: Alpine Avalanche Research Institute, a general incorporated association
- Address: 5894 Ikusaka Village, Higashichikuma District, Nagano Prefecture 399-7201, Japan
- Representative: Representative Director Kengo Moriyama
- Contact: info@alpsnadare.com
Article 2 (Definitions)
- In this Policy, "personal information" means personal information as defined in Article 2, paragraph 1 of the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (hereinafter the "APPI").
- In this Policy, "user information" means the information AARI obtains through the Service and the information the Service stores on users' devices, whether or not it constitutes personal information.
Article 3 (Information obtained)
| Occasion | Information obtained |
|---|
| (1) Member registration |
Email address, password, nickname, avalanche-related qualification (optional), and the date and time and the version of the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy that was agreed to.
The password is converted to a form that cannot be reversed (a hash value) before it is stored, and the password as entered is not stored. |
| (2) Avalanche posts |
The date and time of occurrence, the location of the avalanche (latitude and longitude), the coordinates of the lines for the crown, runout path and extent, the elevation, the aspect and angle of the slope and the place name (including values calculated automatically from the map),
the avalanche type, size, dimensions (width, length, crown depth) and trigger, the snow properties (moisture, sliding surface), the mountain area, the snow and weather items, the text in the free-text fields, photos (from 1 to 10), and the date and time and the version that was agreed to.
For posts by those who are not members, the email address and the avalanche-related qualification are also obtained.
For posts by members, the member ID, the registered email address, the nickname (as the reporter name) and the registered avalanche-related qualification are stored linked to that post. |
| (3) Application for the External API |
The name, affiliation, email address and purpose of use written in the application email. |
| (4) Inquiries |
The email address and the content of the inquiry. |
| (5) Information recorded automatically |
Records of the communications that reach the servers of the Service (IP address, date and time, the address of the page or data requested, the referring address, browser type).
Records of events such as member registration, failed logins and account deletion, and of communications in which the login token was invalid (IP address, date and time, browser type, member ID).
These records do not include email addresses or passwords. |
- Information attached to photos, such as the date and time and the location of shooting (Exif), is removed by the posting screen inside the user's device before the photo is sent. For photos that arrive by any other method, AARI's server removes it before storing them. The original file name is not stored.
- The "My location" button on the posting screen is used only to move the map to the user's current location. What is sent to AARI is the location of the avalanche that the user selected on the map.
Article 4 (Information published, and information provided through the External API)
- The Service publishes avalanche records so that anyone can see them. AARI publishes the following information from posted records on the screens of the Service and through the mechanism that delivers data to the screens (API).
- The date and time of occurrence, the location and lines of the avalanche (including supplementary text about the location), the elevation, the aspect and angle of the slope, the place name and mountain area, the avalanche type, size, dimensions and trigger, the snow properties, the snow and weather items, and the record number and the date and time of posting and update
- The text in the free-text fields, and photos
- The avalanche-related qualification
- The reporter name (nickname), email address, contact details, member ID, password, and injury items (the number of injured and missing people, and the description of damage) are not published.
- AARI provides the following information from posted records, through the External API, to third parties (research institutions, businesses and others) that applied and to which AARI issued a key. Only posts whose posters agreed to this provision at the time of posting are provided.
- The date and time of occurrence, the location and lines of the avalanche (crown, runout path, extent), the place name and mountain area, the prefecture and municipality, the elevation, the aspect and angle of the slope, the avalanche type, size, dimensions (width, length, crown depth) and trigger, the snow properties (moisture, sliding surface), the snow and weather items, and the record number and the date and time of posting and update
The External API does not provide the reporter name, avalanche qualification, text in the free-text fields, photos, injury items, email address, contact details or member ID.
The API Terms of Use prohibit the third parties who receive the information from trying to identify posters or other individuals. AARI records the third parties to which it provided information and the items provided, in accordance with the law (Article 29 of the APPI), and keeps the records for the period set by law.
- Before sending, the posting screen shows the information that will be published and the information that will be provided through the External API, and obtains agreement through the "Agree to the terms and post" button.
- Do not put into the free-text fields or photos information by which a person can be identified, such as the names, faces or vehicle license plates of yourself or others, or matters concerning a person's health, such as the condition of injuries. If AARI finds such information, it removes that part from public view or blurs part of the photo.
Article 5 (Purposes of use)
AARI uses the information it obtains for the following purposes.
- To provide the Service (publishing avalanche records, maps and search, member login, editing and deleting of posts by the person who made them, and account deletion)
- To check the content of posts, and to contact the email address written in a post
- To publish avalanche records and provide them to third parties through the External API, as stated in the preceding Article
- For avalanche investigation and research. The results of research are published in a form in which individuals cannot be identified (such as statistics)
- If member benefits are provided, to count the number of records among a member's posts that AARI has checked
- To review applications for the External API, issue and manage keys, manage the amount used, investigate and stop use that violates the API Terms of Use, and communicate changes to or suspension of the API
- To respond to inquiries
- To prevent, investigate and stop use that violates the Terms of Service and unauthorized access
- To give notice of important matters about the Service, such as changes to the Terms of Service and this Policy
- To compile the communication records in order to fix faults in the Service and make it easier to use
Article 6 (Information stored on devices)
- The Service does not use cookies. The Service stores the following information in the storage provided by the browser (localStorage, sessionStorage, IndexedDB and Cache Storage).
- This information stays on the user's device. Of the information stored on the device, the only item sent to AARI's servers is the login token (it is sent to confirm the user's identity when operating while logged in). The content of a post is sent when the post is sent.
| Name | Information stored | When it is removed |
|---|
| avalanche_member_token | The login token (including the member ID, email address and the time of issue). The token becomes unusable 7 days after issue | When the user logs out, or after 30 minutes without operation |
| current_user, currentUser, memberLastActive | The member ID, nickname and email address of the member who is logged in, and the time of the last operation | Same as above |
| selectedLanguage, v2BaseLayer, v2PostBaseLayer, v2SlopeLayer, detailSheetWidth, terrainPanelCollapsed, snowChartRange, mapGestureTouchHintShown, fieldMemoA2hsDismissed | Display settings (language, map type, slope-angle colour shading, screen width and whether panels are open, the period of the chart, and whether a guide has been shown) | Until the user removes them |
| v2PostDraft | A draft of a post (the values entered and the points on the map; photos are not included) | When the post has been sent, or when the tab is closed |
| aari-revgeo: (coordinates) | The prefecture and municipality looked up from the coordinates | When the tab is closed |
| fieldMemoFlash | The type of short notice shown on the field memo screen | When the notice is displayed |
| aari-field-memo (IndexedDB), fieldMemoHandoff | Records of the field memo (testing): date and time, location, text and photos. Photos are the files as taken and include information such as the date and time and the location of shooting (Exif). When handing over to the posting screen, a copy of the text of the record and of the values (not including photos) is stored temporarily | Until the user removes the record (it is not removed by logging out). The copy handed over is removed when the posting screen has read it |
| clinoTestLog, clinoCalib | Records of the slope meter (testing): the measured angle and bearing, the location, the browser type (up to 200 entries), and the tilt correction values | Until the user removes the records |
| aari-v2- (version name) (Cache Storage) | Screen files, fonts, map components, and a copy of the list of published avalanche records, so that screens can be opened where there is no signal | When a new version of the Service arrives |
All of this information is removed when you "clear site data" in your browser settings. On a shared device, remove it when you have finished using it.
Article 7 (Location, camera and orientation sensors)
- On the following pages, the Service uses the device's location, camera and orientation sensors. In every case, the browser or device asks the user for permission, and the feature is used only when the user grants it.
| Page | Feature used | How it is used |
|---|
| Avalanche posting | Location | The "My location" button moves the map to the current location. The current location is not sent |
| Snow depth and snowfall | Location | The "Near me" button selects the nearest observation station. The current location is not sent |
| Field memo (testing; currently used only by people connected with AARI) | Location | While the recording screen is open, the location is measured continuously and saved in the record. The record stays only inside the device |
| Slope meter (testing) | Camera, orientation sensors, location | The angle of a slope is measured from the camera image and the tilt of the device, and the angle of the slope aimed at is calculated from the location and terrain data. The image is not sent to AARI. The measured values and the location are kept in the device's records. Only when "Save photo" is pressed, an image with the measured values written on it is saved on the user's device |
- AARI does not receive the current location measured on these pages. However, because map and terrain data are loaded from external servers, the place being displayed and the area around the location are communicated to the recipients listed in the next Article (such as the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI)).
- Permissions can be withdrawn at any time in the browser or device settings.
Article 8 (Communication with external servers)
- When a page of the Service is opened, the user's browser directly loads maps, fonts, programs and other items from the servers of the following businesses and institutions.
At that time, the user's IP address, the browser type, the address of the data to be loaded (for maps, the place and scale being displayed can be known) and the domain name of the Service as the referrer are communicated to that business or institution.
- AARI does not give users' email addresses or member IDs to these businesses and institutions. How the information communicated is handled depends on the policy of each business or institution.
| Destination | What is loaded | Main information communicated |
|---|
| Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) (Japan) | Tiles for maps, shading, aerial photographs and elevation; the elevation of a point; the mechanism for looking up the municipality from coordinates | The place and scale being displayed (for "Sun and shadow" on the 3D terrain, this includes up to about 12 km around it). When looking up the elevation and municipality, those coordinates (the location of the avalanche when the details of a record are opened, the selected location when posting, and the location of the record in the field memo) |
| Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) (Japan) | Images of the snow depth and snowfall surfaces | The place and scale being displayed |
| Google LLC (United States) | Fonts (Google Fonts) | IP address, browser type, domain name of the referrer |
| unpkg (United States) | The map program (Leaflet) | IP address, browser type |
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (United States) | Part of the winter satellite imagery (GIBS) | The place and scale being displayed |
| X, Facebook, LINE | Their pages are opened only when a share button is pressed | The address and text of the record being shared |
The Service does not use mechanisms for analyzing usage or for advertising.
Article 9 (Provision to third parties, and use of external businesses)
- Other than the publication and the provision through the External API in Article 4 (agreement to both is obtained at the time of posting), AARI does not provide personal data to third parties without obtaining the person's consent in advance. However, this excludes cases that fall under the items of Article 27, paragraph 1 of the APPI (cases based on laws and regulations, and cases where it is necessary to protect a person's life, body or property and it is difficult to obtain the person's consent).
- When AARI hands avalanche records to research institutions and others, it does so in a form in which individuals cannot be identified (such as statistics).
- The servers of the Service are operated on ConoHa VPS of GMO Internet, Inc. (GMOインターネット株式会社; a data center in Japan), which AARI rents.
- Emails for inquiries and for External API applications are received and stored using the email service of Google LLC (United States). When they do not reach Google's service, the email server of GMO Internet, Inc. (in Japan) may receive them. Because this service stores email in data centers in multiple countries, the country in which it is stored cannot be identified. AARI takes the measures in Article 13, having understood the systems for the protection of personal information in the United States.
Article 10 (Retention periods, and information that remains after deletion)
| Information | Retention period |
|---|
| Member registration (email address, password, nickname, qualification) | Until the account is deleted |
| Avalanche records (the content of posts and photos) | Kept without a time limit as avalanche records |
| Records of agreement to the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy (version, date and time, member ID or post) | Kept without a time limit as records showing that agreement was given |
| Server records (logs): the communication records in Article 3 (5), and the records of events such as logins | 90 days. Records (logs) older than 90 days are deleted automatically. Avalanche records, photos and member registrations are not included in these records and are not deleted |
| Records of provision to third parties through the External API (Article 29 of the APPI) | 3 years from the last date of provision |
| Applications for the External API | Until use of the key ends. After that, they are kept only as long as necessary to answer inquiries, and deleted when no longer needed. However, the name and contact details of the recipient included in the records of provision are kept as in the previous row |
| Emails of inquiries | As long as necessary for handling them. Deleted when no longer needed |
| Copies of the database and files (backups) | Made when the Service is updated. As a guide, the 5 most recent are kept, and older ones are deleted by the operator after checking |
- When a post is deleted, that post no longer appears on the screens of the Service, in the API, or in the External API. The photo files are also moved to a place that is not public. AARI stores the content and photos of deleted posts as operational records. Avalanche records are research material, and this is so that they can be restored if deleted by mistake.
- When an account is deleted, the member registration (email address, password, nickname, qualification) is deleted, and the email address and contact details in the posts are deleted. The avalanche records that were posted remain and continue to be published as stated in Article 4. The reporter name (nickname) and the avalanche-related qualification remain in the record (the reporter name is not published).
- If you request further deletion for deleted posts or for records that remain after an account is deleted, such as deleting the reporter name or deleting photos, contact info@alpsnadare.com (how your identity is confirmed is as stated in Article 12). AARI responds by making the record one in which individuals cannot be identified, or by deleting the record.
- Deleted information also remains in the backups until the backups are replaced by newer ones.
Article 11 (Deleting an account, and withdrawing agreement)
- Members can delete their accounts at any time from "Delete account" on My page. If you cannot log in, contact info@alpsnadare.com from your registered email address.
- Members can edit and delete their own posts from "My posts" on My page. To delete a post by someone who is not a member, contact info@alpsnadare.com.
- If you wish to withdraw agreement to publication and provision through the External API for a post, delete the post by the methods in the preceding two paragraphs. Data provided through the External API before deletion cannot be taken back. However, where necessary to protect an individual's rights, AARI will ask API users to delete that record (Article 8 of the API Terms of Use).
- Permissions for location, camera and orientation sensors can be withdrawn in the browser or device settings. Information stored on the device can be removed in the browser settings, as stated in Article 6.
Article 12 (Requests for disclosure, correction, cessation of use and so on)
- Under the APPI, a person may request, regarding the person's personal data held by AARI, notification of the purposes of use, disclosure, correction, addition or deletion, cessation of use or erasure, cessation of provision to third parties, and disclosure of the records of provision to third parties.
- Send requests by email to info@alpsnadare.com. Write the date and time and the place of the record and so on, so that the record concerned can be identified.
- AARI confirms the person's identity by the following methods. Members: the request must be sent from the registered email address. Those who are not members: AARI sends a confirmation email to the email address written at the time of posting, and confirms from the reply.
- The legal representative of a minor, and an agent delegated by the person, may also make a request. In that case, AARI asks for documents showing the authority to act as agent.
- When AARI receives a request, it investigates without delay and notifies the result by email. If AARI does not comply because of laws and regulations, it notifies that fact and the reason.
- No fee is charged.
Article 13 (Security measures)
AARI takes the following measures to prevent leaks and other incidents involving personal data.
- Basic policy: this Policy has been established and published.
- Rules for handling: the handling of acquisition, use, storage and deletion is set out in this Policy, and records past their retention period are deleted.
- Organizational measures: the Representative Director is the person in charge, and only the Representative Director handles personal data.
- Human measures: when anyone other than the Representative Director is to handle personal data, they are asked, before handling it, to promise to keep it secret.
- Physical measures: the disks of the administrative devices that handle personal data are encrypted.
- Technical measures: communications are encrypted (HTTPS), passwords are stored only in a form that cannot be reversed, the administration screens and backups can be used only by administrators, the public screens and the API do not return email addresses, contact details or member IDs, and mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access are in place.
- Understanding of the external environment: when personal data is stored in a foreign country, it is handled after understanding that country's systems (Article 9, paragraph 4).
Article 14 (Use by minors)
Those under 16 must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian before registering as a member or making a post.
Article 15 (Changes to this Policy)
- AARI may change this Policy in line with revisions of laws and regulations or changes to the Service.
- When changing this Policy, AARI will set the date on which the change takes effect, and will give notice, by posting on the Service at least 2 weeks before that date, that this Policy will be changed, of the revised content, and of the effective date. However, a change that benefits users may take effect in a period shorter than 2 weeks.
- If AARI changes the purposes of use beyond the scope that is reasonably recognized as related to the purposes before the change, it will obtain the person's consent in advance.
Article 16 (Language)
This Policy is made in Japanese. The English and Chinese versions are translations for reference. If they differ from the Japanese version, the Japanese version prevails.
Article 17 (Contact point for inquiries and complaints)
Inquiries and complaints about this Policy and the handling of user information are received at the following contact point.
Alpine Avalanche Research Institute, a general incorporated association
5894 Ikusaka Village, Higashichikuma District, Nagano Prefecture 399-7201, Japan
Email address: info@alpsnadare.com
Supplementary provisions
- This Policy applies from October 19, 2026.
- Posts made before October 19, 2026 continue to be published on the Service in accordance with the terms of service and the privacy policy in effect when they were posted. They are not provided through the External API (unless AARI obtains the poster's consent again). Those who wish to stop the publication should contact AARI by the method in Article 11.
Enacted: July 21, 2025
Revised: October 19, 2026
Alpine Avalanche Research Institute (General Incorporated Association)
← Back to Home