TOKYO: The Japanese government said Tuesday that the use of the Chinese-owned video-sharing app service TikTok is banned on government devices when confidential information is handled on them.

In a written answer adopted at a cabinet meeting, the government said that TikTok is not installed on any of the smartphones and other government-issued devices used by ministers, state ministers and parliamentary vice ministers.

The answer was made in response to a question from Kensuke Onishi, a lawmaker of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

The government said it does not allow the use of external services that become available only by simply agreeing to uniform terms and conditions on government devices to handle confidential information.

JIJI Press