"Japanese City Loses Memory Drive With Information on All 460,000 Residents"
The city of Amagasaki in western Japan recently discovered that it had lost a USB flash drive containing the personal information of its roughly 460,000 residents. The lost data included the residents' names, addresses, and dates of birth, as well as the bank account numbers of welfare-receiving households, among other information. Currently, there is no evidence of data being leaked so far. It was stated that an employee of a company commissioned to assist the city's rollout of COVID-19 relief funds lost a bag that had the flash drive inside after drinking and dining at a restaurant on Tuesday. The employee reported it to the police on Wednesday. According to the city, the data was encrypted and protected with a password. The city claimed they "will thoroughly ensure security management when handling electronic data." The city also stated that it will work to regain its residents' trust by heightening awareness of the importance of protecting personal information.