Privacy Policy of the Japanese-German Center Berlin
Status: March 2026
The website jdzb.de is provided by the
Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB), Saargemünder Str. 2, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
The Japanese-German Center Berlin (hereinafter referred to as “JDZB”) takes the protection of your personal data very seriously. Your data is always processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG), and all other applicable data protection provisions.
Below, we provide detailed information on how your personal data is handled when you visit our website and use our online services.
Controller and Data Protection Officer
The controller responsible for data processing on this website is:
Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB), Foundation under Civil Law
Saargemünder Str. 2, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Telephone: +49 (0)30 839 07 0
Fax: +49 (0)30 839 07 220
Email: jdzb@jdzb.de
The Japanese-German Center Berlin is legally represented by the Secretary General, Dr. Julia Münch.
Email: jmuench@jdzb.de
Data Protection Officer:
Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) – The Data Protection Officer
Saargemünder Str. 2, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Email: dataprotection@jdzb.de
This Privacy Policy informs you about which personal data is processed when you visit our website and use our services, and what rights you are entitled to in this context.
Legal Basis
Depending on the purpose, personal data is processed on the basis of the following legal grounds under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent)
Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (contract / pre-contractual measures)
Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR (legal obligation)
Art. 6(1)(e) GDPR (performance of a task carried out in the public interest)
Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest)
Insofar as cookies or comparable technologies are used, this is additionally carried out in accordance with Section 25 of the Telecommunications and Telemedia Data Protection Act (TDDDG).
Hosting
Our website is hosted on servers of
Host Europe GmbH c/o Spaces
Gertrudenstraße 30-36
50667 Köln
in Germany. A data processing agreement has been concluded with the provider in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR.
Server Log Files
When you access our website, your browser automatically transmits the following data to our server, where it is stored in log files:
date and time of access
pages/files accessed
referrer URL (previously visited page)
browser type and browser version
operating system used
IP address
The purpose of processing is to ensure the IT security, stability and functionality of our website, as well as error analysis.
The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in the secure and stable operation of our website).
The data is generally stored for up to 14 days and then deleted, unless longer retention is required in individual cases for evidentiary purposes (e.g. to investigate security incidents).
Cookie Management
When visiting our website, cookies or comparable technologies may be used. For this purpose, we use a consent management tool through which you can make your selections.
Technically necessary cookies are required for the operation of the website and cannot be deselected.
Statistics and external media services (e.g. Matomo, Vimeo) are only activated after you have given your consent.
Further information on the cookies used and the cookie settings can be found at the following link:
https://jdzb.de/de/cookies/documentation#functional
Legal basis:
Section 25(2) TDDDG in conjunction with Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR for technically necessary cookies.
Section 25(1) TDDDG in conjunction with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR for services requiring consent.
You may withdraw or modify your consent at any time with effect for the future via the cookie settings on our website.
Web Analysis with Matomo
We use the web analysis tool Matomo on our website in order to statistically evaluate the use of our online offering. This analysis helps us to better understand the use of our website, optimize the content and structure of our website, and make our information offering on events, programs and activities of the Japanese-German Center Berlin more user-friendly. In addition, the analysis helps us to identify technical errors and improve the stability and security of our website.
Matomo is operated on our own servers in Germany. No data is passed on to third parties.
After you have given your consent, cookies are set which may in particular collect the following information:
visited pages and subpages of our website
time spent on individual pages
origin of visitors (referrer URL)
technical information about the browser, device and operating system used
a pseudonymous user ID for recognition during later visits
a shortened IP address
Processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR in conjunction with Section 25(1) TDDDG. Without your consent, no statistical analysis using Matomo takes place.
Visitor logs collected by Matomo (e.g. IP address, page views or technical information) are automatically deleted after 180 days at the latest. Aggregated statistical evaluations without direct personal reference may be stored for up to 12 months.
External Media (Vimeo)
On some pages, we embed videos from the service “Vimeo” (Vimeo Inc., 555 West 18th Street, New York, New York 10011, USA).
The integration of Vimeo serves to provide video recordings of our events and to inform the public about the activities of the Japanese-German Center Berlin.
Vimeo content is only loaded after you have given your consent.
Before the content is activated, no data is transferred to Vimeo.
The legal basis for the setting of cookies or comparable technologies is Section 25(1) TDDDG in conjunction with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.
When using Vimeo, personal data (e.g. IP address, device information, page accessed) may be transferred to the USA. Insofar as Vimeo participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF), the transfer takes place on the basis of the adequacy decision of the European Commission.
Further information on data processing by Vimeo can be found in Vimeo’s privacy policy:
https://vimeo.com/privacy
Newsletter Service (Brevo)
You can subscribe to our newsletter via our website. The newsletter serves to regularly inform interested persons about events, programs, publications and other activities of the Japanese-German Center Berlin.
For this purpose, we process:
your email address and your first and last name.
We use the service Brevo (Sendinblue GmbH, Köpenicker Straße 126, 10179 Berlin) to send our newsletter.
A data processing agreement has been concluded with the provider in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR.
We use the double opt-in procedure for newsletter registration. After registering, you will receive an email in which you must confirm your registration.
The legal basis for sending the newsletter is your consent in accordance with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.
You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future, for example via the unsubscribe link in every newsletter email.
After you unsubscribe, your email address will be deleted from the active newsletter distribution list.
Your email address may be stored in a suppression list (blacklist) to prevent further mailings; the legal basis for this is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in complying with legal requirements).
Statistical Evaluation of Newsletter Distribution
Provided that you have given separate consent, we use Brevo functions for the statistical evaluation of our newsletter offering. This may include, in particular, the evaluation of
whether a newsletter email was opened, and
which links within the email were clicked.
This evaluation serves to better adapt the content of our newsletter to the interests of recipients and to improve our information offering.
The legal basis for this processing is your separate consent in accordance with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.
You may withdraw your consent to statistical evaluation at any time with effect for the future. Further information on data processing by Brevo can be found in Brevo’s privacy policy:
https://www.brevo.com/de/legal/privacypolicy/
Event Registrations (guestoo)
We use the tool guestoo (code piraten UG, Am Ruhmbach 44, 45149 Essen) for registrations for events.
As part of the registration process, we process the data you enter, for example:
name
contact details
event and participation information
The processing is carried out for the purpose of planning, conducting and, if necessary, following up on the event.
Legal basis:
Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures)
Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in organizing our events)
A data processing agreement has been concluded with guestoo in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR. Further information on data processing by guestoo can be found at:
https://www.guestoo.de/datenschutzerklaerung/
Retention period:
Your data is generally stored for up to 12 months after the end of the event, unless statutory retention obligations prevent deletion or you have consented to longer use (e.g. for future invitations).
Payment Service Providers
Stripe
For paid services, we offer payment processing via Stripe (Stripe Payments Europe, Ltd. and/or Stripe, Inc., USA).
Depending on the payment method, the following data may in particular be processed as part of payment processing:
name
contact details
payment information (e.g. bank account details, credit card details)
transaction data (e.g. amount, date, time)
The purpose is the execution of payment and, if necessary, fraud prevention.
The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract).
Stripe may also transfer personal data to the USA. Stripe is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (DPF). Data transfer therefore takes place on the basis of the adequacy decision of the European Commission pursuant to Art. 45 GDPR. Further information on data processing by Stripe can be found at:
https://stripe.com/privacy
Accounting and booking documents are retained for up to 10 years in accordance with statutory retention obligations, in particular pursuant to Section 147 of the German Fiscal Code (AO) and Section 257 of the German Commercial Code (HGB).
PayPal
We also offer payment processing via PayPal (PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg).
In this context, the following data may in particular be processed:
first name, last name
address
email address
bank and/or account details, where applicable
transaction data
The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract).
Depending on the selected payment method, PayPal may carry out credit checks and transfer personal data to credit agencies for this purpose. This processing is carried out by PayPal as an independent controller within the meaning of the GDPR. Further information on data processing by PayPal, in particular on credit checks and transfers of data to credit agencies, can be found in PayPal’s privacy policy at:
https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full
Statutory retention periods also apply here (in particular up to 10 years for documents relevant under tax and commercial law).
Anniversary Campaign “40 Years JDZB” / Public Relations
As part of our public relations work, in particular the anniversary campaign “40 Years JDZB”, we process image, video and audio recordings as well as written statements, provided that you voluntarily make these available to us or consent to a recording.
The purpose is the documentation and publication of our anniversary activities, in particular on the social media platform Instagram.
The legal basis is your consent in accordance with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.
When using Instagram, data may be transferred to the USA. Insofar as Meta (operator of Instagram) participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, the transfer takes place on the basis of the adequacy decision of the European Commission.
Retention period:
We process your data until you withdraw your consent or until the purpose of processing no longer applies (e.g. completion of anniversary-related communication), unless further retention obligations apply.
Disclosure of Data
Personal data is only disclosed to third parties if
you have given your explicit consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR),
this is necessary for the performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR),
there is a legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR), or
this is necessary to safeguard legitimate interests of JDZB or a third party and no overriding interests or fundamental rights of the data subject oppose such processing (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
Personal data may in particular be transferred to independently responsible controllers where this is necessary for the performance of our services, for example to payment service providers (Stripe or PayPal) in connection with payment processing or to cooperation partners for events, insofar as this is necessary for the conduct of joint events.
In addition, we use service providers within the framework of data processing in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR, such as for hosting, newsletter distribution or event management. These service providers process personal data exclusively on our instructions and are not considered third parties within the meaning of the GDPR.
Retention Period
Personal data is stored only for as long as this is necessary for the fulfillment of the respective purposes or statutory retention obligations apply.
Once the purpose no longer applies or statutory periods expire, the data is deleted or anonymized in accordance with legal requirements.
Your Rights
Within the framework of the statutory provisions, you have the following rights with regard to your personal data:
right of access (Art. 15 GDPR)
right to rectification (Art. 16 GDPR)
right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR)
right to restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
right to data portability (Art. 20 GDPR)
right to object to certain processing activities (Art. 21 GDPR)
right to withdraw consent granted with effect for the future
You may exercise your rights at any time by contacting us using the contact details provided under Section 1.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement.
The competent authority for JDZB is the Berlin Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information.
Objection or Withdrawal of Consent to the Processing of Your Data
If you have given your consent to the processing of your personal data, you may withdraw it at any time with effect for the future. The withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out on the basis of the consent before its withdrawal.
Insofar as we base the processing of your personal data on a balancing of interests in accordance with Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, you may object to the processing. This is particularly the case if processing is not necessary for the performance of a contract with you.
If you object, we ask you to explain the reasons why we should not process your personal data as previously carried out. We will review your objection and either stop or adapt the data processing, unless compelling legitimate grounds for the continuation of processing exist.
You may send your withdrawal or objection at any time to the following contact details:
Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB)
Saargemünder Str. 2
14195 Berlin
Germany
Email: dataprotection@jdzb.de