1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Hinode 55 Academy's website, courses, or services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our services.

These terms apply to all users of our services, including students, visitors, instructors, and anyone who accesses our content. By creating an account or using our services, you represent that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms.

We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time, and your continued use of our services constitutes acceptance of any changes. We will provide notice of material changes through email or prominent website notices.

2. Description of Services

Hinode 55 Academy provides comprehensive online educational services specifically designed for adults aged 55 and above, including:

• Live small group classes via secure video conferencing platforms
• On-demand course content, videos, and downloadable materials
• Digital literacy and practical technology skills training
• Health and wellness education programs
• Financial literacy and online banking safety courses
• Interest-driven hobby and enrichment courses
• Phone-based customer support and technical assistance
• One-on-one onboarding sessions and progress consultations
• Progress tracking, reporting, and certification programs
• Community forums and peer interaction platforms
• Mobile and tablet-friendly learning applications
• Accessibility features for learners with varying abilities

Our services are continuously evolving to meet the needs of our senior learning community, and we may add, modify, or discontinue features with appropriate notice to users.

3. User Accounts and Registration

Account Creation

To access our services, you must create an account by providing accurate and complete information. You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and password
• All activities that occur under your account, whether authorized or not
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized use or security breaches
• Keeping your account information current, accurate, and complete
• Using a secure password and enabling two-factor authentication when available
• Not sharing your account with others or allowing others to use your credentials

Eligibility Requirements

Our services are primarily intended for adults aged 55 and above. By creating an account, you represent that you:

• Meet the age requirement or have explicit permission to use our services
• Have the legal capacity to enter into these terms
• Are not prohibited from using our services under applicable laws
• Will use our services in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations

Account Suspension and Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or pose a risk to our community. We will provide notice when possible and work with users to resolve issues before taking such action.

4. Payment Terms and Billing

Membership Plans and Pricing

Our services are offered through various membership plans and individual course purchases. All fees are clearly displayed before purchase and are charged in Japanese Yen (¥). Current pricing includes:

• Basic Monthly Membership: ¥3,980 per month
• Premium Monthly Membership: ¥6,980 per month
• Individual Course Access: ¥1,980 per course
• Corporate and group discounts available upon request

Payment Processing and Billing

• Monthly memberships are billed automatically on a recurring basis
• Individual course fees are charged at the time of enrollment
• All payments are processed securely through certified third-party payment providers
• You are responsible for any applicable taxes, including consumption tax
• Payment methods accepted include credit cards, bank transfers, and digital wallets
• Failed payments may result in service suspension until resolved

Refund and Cancellation Policy

• Monthly Memberships: You may cancel at any time with no penalty. No refunds for partial months, but access continues until the end of the current billing period
• Individual Courses: Full refund available within 7 days of purchase if no course content has been accessed
• Live Classes: Refunds available up to 24 hours before the scheduled class time
• Technical Issues: Full refunds provided if technical problems prevent course access
• Satisfaction Guarantee: We work with unsatisfied customers to find suitable solutions

5. User Conduct and Community Guidelines

When using our services, you agree to maintain respectful and constructive behavior. You must:

• Treat all instructors, staff, and fellow students with respect, courtesy, and dignity
• Use our services only for lawful educational and personal development purposes
• Participate constructively in community discussions and group activities
• Respect the privacy and personal information of other users
• Follow all technical requirements and guidelines provided by instructors
• Report any inappropriate behavior or content to our support team
• Maintain appropriate language and behavior during live classes
• Respect intellectual property rights and copyright protections

Prohibited Activities

You may not engage in any of the following activities:

• Use our services for any illegal, harmful, or unauthorized purpose
• Share your account credentials with others or create multiple accounts
• Record, distribute, or share course content without explicit written permission
• Interfere with or disrupt our services, servers, or network infrastructure
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems or other users' accounts
• Upload or transmit viruses, malware, or other malicious code
• Harass, abuse, threaten, or discriminate against other users or staff
• Post or share inappropriate, offensive, or harmful content
• Engage in commercial activities or advertising without permission
• Violate any applicable laws, regulations, or third-party rights

6. Intellectual Property Rights

Our Content and Materials

All course materials, videos, text, graphics, logos, software, and other content provided by Hinode 55 Academy are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may:

• Access and use content for your personal educational purposes only
• Download materials for offline study as specifically permitted
• Print materials for personal reference and note-taking
• Share general knowledge gained from courses in personal contexts

Usage Restrictions

You may not, without our explicit written permission:

• Reproduce, distribute, sell, or commercially exploit our content
• Create derivative works based on our materials or courses
• Remove copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices
• Use our content for commercial training or educational purposes
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble our software or applications

User-Generated Content

By submitting content to our platform (comments, forum posts, assignments), you grant us a non-exclusive license to use, display, and distribute such content for educational and community purposes. You retain ownership of your original content.

7. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection, use, and protection of personal information is governed by our comprehensive Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these terms by reference.

By using our services, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in our Privacy Policy. We are committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with Japanese privacy laws and international best practices.

We implement robust security measures to protect your information, but you also play a role in maintaining security by keeping your account credentials confidential and reporting any suspicious activity.

8. Service Availability and Modifications

We strive to provide reliable, consistent service, but we cannot guarantee uninterrupted access due to factors beyond our control. We reserve the right to:

• Modify, suspend, or discontinue services with reasonable advance notice
• Update course content, materials, and teaching methodologies
• Change our pricing structure with 30 days' notice to existing members
• Implement technical maintenance, updates, and security improvements
• Adjust class schedules and instructor assignments as needed
• Add new features and services to enhance the learning experience

We will make reasonable efforts to minimize service disruptions and provide advance notice of planned maintenance or significant changes.

9. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

Service Disclaimers

Our services are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind. We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to:

• Warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
• Warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of content
• Warranties of uninterrupted or error-free service
• Warranties regarding specific learning outcomes or results

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Hinode 55 Academy shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of our services. Our total liability for any claims related to our services shall not exceed the amount you paid for the specific service in question during the 12 months preceding the claim.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Hinode 55 Academy, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from:

• Your use of our services in violation of these terms
• Your violation of any applicable laws or third-party rights
• Content you submit or share through our platform
• Your negligent or wrongful conduct

11. Termination of Services

Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by:

• Contacting our customer support team
• Using the account cancellation feature in your profile settings
• Sending a written request to our business address

Termination by Us

We may terminate or suspend your account if you:

• Violate these Terms of Service or our community guidelines
• Fail to pay required fees after reasonable notice
• Engage in conduct that harms our services, reputation, or other users
• Provide false or misleading information during registration
• Use our services in ways that violate applicable laws

Effects of Termination

Upon termination, your access to our services will cease, but certain provisions of these terms will survive, including intellectual property rights, limitation of liability, and dispute resolution clauses.

12. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of Japan. Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of our services shall be resolved through the following process:

• Direct Negotiation: First, we encourage good faith negotiations between the parties
• Mediation: If direct negotiation fails, disputes may be submitted to mediation
• Arbitration: Binding arbitration in Yokohama, Japan, if mediation is unsuccessful
• Language: Proceedings conducted in Japanese or English as mutually agreed
• Costs: Each party bears their own costs unless otherwise determined by the arbitrator

13. Accessibility and Accommodation

We are committed to making our services accessible to learners with disabilities. We provide:

• Screen reader compatible interfaces and content
• Keyboard navigation support for all interactive elements
• Closed captioning for video content where available
• Adjustable text size and contrast options
• Alternative formats for course materials upon request
• Technical support for accessibility-related issues

If you need specific accommodations, please contact our support team, and we will work with you to find suitable solutions.

14. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or business practices. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Email notification to your registered address at least 30 days in advance
• Prominent notice on our website and learning platform
• In-platform notifications when you log in
• Postal notification for significant changes affecting your rights

Your continued use of our services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the new terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you may terminate your account before they take effect.

15. Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms of Service or need assistance with our services, please contact us: