Abstract
The needs for the protection of personal genetic information are increasing with the recent development of the life sciences. Personal genetic information is unique to each individual and unchangeable for life. Each individual has strong personal connection to her/his personal genetic information. The members of families and racial groups, however, share a part of their genetic information. One's personal genetic information has possibilities to provide the person with some advantages or disadvantages. The needs for the protection of personal genetic information are based on the possible disadvantages from the information and on the unique personal connection to each individual. The Personal Information Protection Act, enacted in 2003, covered only a small part of these needs. Especially, genetic information held by research institutes for academic research is exempt from the jurisdiction of the Act. Several guidelines issued by agencies and advisory committees also protect personal genetic information. These guidelines use anonymization as the main method for the protection of personal genetic information. These guidelines generally require to anonymize personal genetic information. It is sure that anonymization reduces the possibility to provide a person with disadvantages from the information. Anonymization, however, does not disconnect the unique personal connection between the information and the person. The protection systems of personal genetic information should focus on this unique connection as well as on the possible disadvantages from the information. Enactment of Fundamental Policy Act for Gene could be one of the methods to manage the issues.
