The present invention is intended to allow distribution of personal information to be managed on the basis of not only a personal information management policy defined by a personal information producer but also management policies of all apparatuses which handle personal information when the distribution of personal information is managed between apparatuses. In its configuration, personal information generation apparatus 1 encapsulates personal information together with a transmission policy to generate a personal information capsule which is transmitted to personal information utilization apparatus 2. Personal information utilization apparatus 2 receives and holds the personal information capsule for utilization. In this event, personal information generation apparatus 1 transmits a transmission policy defined by the personal information producer. Personal information utilization apparatus 2 in turn transmits a reception policy defined by a personal information user. Then, personal information generation apparatus 1 and personal information utilization apparatus 2 determine a contractual coverage in regard to personal information to be distributed, and generate contract information. Eventually, the personal information is distributed from personal information generation apparatus 1 to personal information utilization apparatus 2 based on the generated contract information.