The operator of T Card, one of the most popular reward cards in Japan, said Monday it started responding to requests from police and prosecutors to provide personal information on card holders without court approval in 2012.

Culture Convenience Club Co., which manages the card and the Tsutaya movie rental and bookshop chain, said it had required court approval for such information requests until 2012, providing the "minimum personal information required only if there was a warrant" at the time.

But as the number of holders continued to increase and personal data obtained through card operations "became more valuable as a social information infrastructure," the company said it decided to provide such data to the police without court approval.