(Provisional translation)
QUEST Slack Community Terms of Use
Japan International Cooperation Agency
Effective March 3rd, 2026
(General Provisions)
Article 1 These QUEST Slack Community Terms of Use (these “Terms”) apply to users (as defined in Item (1) of Article 3; the same shall apply hereinafter) of the Slack community of the “QUEST Community,” a community for opinion exchange and information sharing (the “Slack Community”).
(Purpose)
Article 2 The purpose of the Slack Community is to facilitate horizontal collaboration and information sharing among stakeholders to build connections for collaboration through the QUEST Program.
(Definitions)
Article 3 The terms used in these Terms are defined as follows:
- “User” means a person who uses the Slack Community after completing the procedures prescribed in Article 5, Paragraph 1.
- “Posted Information” means text, images, electronic files, and any other information disseminated by a User on the Slack Community.
- “Slack Account” means an account issued to enable a User to use Slack.
- “Channels” means the collective name for the various channels and private channels on the Slack Community.
- “Administrator(s)” means the Japan International Cooperation Agency (hereinafter “JICA”) and any contractors engaged by JICA.
(Management and Operation)
Article 4 The Slack Community is managed and operated by the Administrator(s).
2 The scope of the Administrator’s management and operation of the Slack Community does not include responding to inquiries regarding the content or usage of Slack itself, nor does it include management of Slack account information (including the management of personal information).
(Application for Use)
Article 5 A person who wishes to use the Slack Community shall, upon agreeing to these Terms, apply to the Administrator in the prescribed manner, and, if the Administrator approves the application in accordance with separately prescribed criteria and invites the applicant as a member of the Slack Community, the applicant may join and commence use of the Slack Community.
2 If any information submitted at the time of application changes, the User shall promptly notify the Administrator(s) of such changes.
3 The Administrator may remove from membership of the Slack Community any person participating without completing the procedures in Paragraph 1 or any person found not to meet the applicable criteria referred to in the same paragraph.
(Use of the Slack Community)
Article 6 In using the Slack Community, Users shall, at their own expense and responsibility, complete the procedures necessary to use Slack.
2 In using the Slack Community, Users must comply with these Terms and with the terms of service, policies, guidelines, and other rules established by the provider of Slack.
3 Users may not create new private channels. However, the Administrator may create private channels as needed.
4 Users may communicate directly with other Users by using Slack’s direct messaging and similar functions.
5 If inappropriate conduct occurs or comes to light in private channels or via direct messages or similar functions, Users shall endeavor to promptly report the relevant incident to the Administrator.
6 In using the Slack Community, Users shall handle public information and shall not post or share confidential information or any other information that is not publicly available.
(Account Management)
Article 7 Users shall manage and store, at their own responsibility, the information used to authenticate their Slack Accounts (including email addresses and IDs/passwords), and shall take necessary measures to prevent unauthorized use by third parties.
2 Users shall not permit third parties to use their Slack Accounts, nor shall they lend, assign, change the name of, sell, or otherwise dispose of their Slack Accounts.
3 If a User becomes aware that their Slack Account is being used fraudulently by a third party, the User shall immediately notify the Administrator and follow their instructions.
4 If, due to reasons attributable to the User, damage is caused to the Administrator or a third party, the User shall be obligated to compensate for such damage.
(Prohibited Conduct)
Article 8 In connection with the use of the Slack Community, Users must not engage in any act that falls under, or may fall under, any of the following:
- Acts that violate these Terms
- Participating in the Slack Community for the purpose of soliciting for chain referral (multi-level) marketing or other improper purposes
- Providing false information
- Impersonating other Users or third parties
- Infringing the intellectual property rights (meaning “intellectual property rights” as defined in Article 2, Paragraph 2 of the Basic Act on Intellectual Property [Act No. 122 of 2002]; the same shall apply hereinafter), rights of publicity, privacy rights, honor, or other rights of the Administrator, other Users, or third parties
- Interfering with the management or operation of the Slack Community
- Distributing computer viruses or other unlawful programs
- Acts that violate laws or public order and morals
- Adding as members of the Slack Community any persons who have not completed the prescribed procedures under Article 5, Paragraph 1
- Any other acts inappropriate in light of the purpose of the Slack Community
2 The Administrator(s) may, as necessary, investigate whether any of the items in the preceding paragraph apply, and Users shall cooperate with such investigation.
3 If the Administrator(s) determines that a User has violated the prohibitions in Paragraph 1, or if the User does not cooperate with the Administrator’s investigation prescribed in the preceding paragraph, the Administrator may, without prior notice to the User, take any of the following measures:
- Deletion of part or all of the Posted Information
- Restriction on the User’s use of the Slack Community
- Removal of the User from membership of the Slack Community and from the Channels
- Restriction on participation in the QUEST Program
- Any other measures that the Administrator deems necessary for the management and operation of the Slack Community
4 Except in cases attributable to the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Administrator(s), they shall bear no liability for any damage incurred by the User as a result of the measures in the preceding paragraph.
(Intellectual Property Rights)
Article 9 Copyrights and other intellectual property rights in works included in Posted Information shall, if the User who made the relevant posting is the copyright holder, vest in the User who disseminated such information. However, this shall not apply where the provider of Slack makes separate provisions regarding the ownership of rights in Posted Information.
2 With respect to works included in the Posted Information that the User has posted and for which the User is the sole copyright holder or for which all joint copyright holders are Users of the Slack Community, the User grants to the Administrator and any third party designated by the Administrator a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use (including reproduction, public transmission, adaptation, etc.) the Posted Information and agrees not to assert moral rights therein.
(Confidentiality Obligations)
Article 10 Users shall not, without the prior consent of the disclosing party (meaning the Administrator or another User; the “Disclosing Party”), leak or disclose to any third party outside the Slack Community any information disclosed, provided, or otherwise learned from the Disclosing Party on the Slack Community. However, this shall not apply where such information is used for co-creation proposals for the QUEST in fiscal year 2026 and the consideration thereof.
2 This Article shall remain effective after the termination of the Slack Community and after a User has withdrawn from the Slack Community.
(No Warranties; Disclaimer)
Article 11 The Administrator(s) does not warrant the accuracy, truth, usefulness, safety, or any other aspect of the information or results obtained by Users through the Slack Community.
2 In connection with the use of the Slack Community, any damage or disputes caused to other Users or third parties by a User’s acts shall be resolved by the User who committed the act, at the User’s own expense and responsibility, and the Administrator shall bear no liability whatsoever, except where due to the Administrator’s willful misconduct or gross negligence.
(Exclusion of Antisocial Forces)
Article 12 At the time of applying for use as prescribed in Article 5, Paragraph 1, Users represent to the Administrator of the Slack Community that neither they nor any of the their directors, executive officers, important employees substantially involved in management, or persons who effectively hold management rights are an antisocial force, and warrants that the same will not apply in the future. For the purposes of this Article, “antisocial forces” means crime syndicates, members of crime syndicates, persons who have ceased to be such within five years, quasi-members of crime syndicates, companies affiliated with crime syndicates, corporate racketeers (sokaiya), groups or individuals that proclaim to engage in social or political movements but in fact make unlawful demands, special intelligence violent groups, persons closely associated with crime syndicates, and any other groups or individuals that make violent demands or improper demands exceeding legal responsibility.
2 In connection with the use of the Slack Community, Users shall not, by itself or through any third party, engage in any act falling under any of the following:
- Violent demands
- Unjust demands beyond legal responsibility
- Threatening behavior or use of violence
- Spreading rumors, using deception or force to damage the credibility of other Users, or obstructing the business of other Users
- Any other acts equivalent to the foregoing items
(Use by Administrator of Information Provided)
Article 13 Users consent to the Administrator’s use of the information provided by Users, including the content of applications to use the Slack Community and Posted Information, for the purpose of events related to the QUEST Program and for the purpose of providing information analogous thereto.
2 Without legitimate reason, the Administrator(s) shall not use or disclose members’ personal information, such as their names, for purposes other than those in the preceding paragraph.
(Amendments to these Terms)
Article 14 The Administrator(s) may amend these Terms in accordance with applicable laws.
2 When amending these Terms pursuant to the preceding paragraph, the Administrator shall, in advance, publicize the effective date and content of the amended Terms by posting on the Slack Community or by other appropriate means, or notify the Users thereof. If, after such public notice or notification, a User uses the Slack Community, the User shall be deemed to have agreed to the amendments; any User who cannot agree to the amendments shall withdraw.
(Termination of Use of the Slack Community)
Article 15 Users may withdraw from the Channels at any time and terminate their use of the Slack Community.
(Governing Law and Jurisdiction)
Article 16 These Terms shall be governed by the laws of Japan, and the Tokyo District Court shall have exclusive agreed jurisdiction in the first instance over any disputes arising in connection with activities on the Slack Community.
Supplementary Provisions
1 These Terms shall take effect as of March 3rd, 2026.
End.