Japan, EU to increase collaboration on digital infrastructure
Tokyo, Jul 3 (EFE).- Japan and the European Union on Monday agreed to deepen their cooperation in the area of semiconductor supply chains, telecom networks and data exchange at a ministerial level meeting between the two sides.
The meeting took place as part of the Japan-EU Digital Association and was attended by the European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton and the Japanese ministers in charge of digitalization, interior affairs, communications and economy.
The two sides adopted a joint declaration aimed at strengthening cooperation to exchange data between their companies, and overcoming the difference in systems and norms governing digital practices in their respective territories.
Japanese minister of digitalization Taro Kono told reporters after the meeting that even though Japan and the EU had different systems, they discussed steps to ensure distribution of reliable data between the two sides which would help produce “concrete results as soon as possible.”
Tokyo and the European bloc also agreed to cooperate more to ensure a stable supply of semiconductors and over the maintenance and expansion of submarine data cables, a key infrastructure for cross-border communications.
The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding expressing the intent to collaborate for installing a new trans-Atlantic cable connection through the Arctic, which would directly connect the Japanese archipelago with Europe without passing through Russian territory.
Tokyo has been trying to boost its submarine data cable infrastructure to improve its economic security following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. EFE
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