Japan to Probe Line After Reports It Let Chinese Engineers Access User Data

Japan to Probe Line After Reports It Let Chinese Engineers Access User Data
The logo of free messaging app Line is pictured on a smartphone in Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 23, 2014. Toru Hanai/Reuters
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TOKYO—Japan’s government said on Wednesday it would investigate messaging app Line, owned by SoftBank Corp’s Z Holdings Corp, after Japanese media reports that it let Chinese engineers at a Shanghai affiliate access Japanese users’ data without informing them.

Under Japanese privacy regulations, companies have to let users know when their personal data is sent overseas, public broadcaster NHK and other local media reported earlier.