EU and Japan Strengthen Data Protection Partnership
Commissioner Ohshima Shuhei of Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PPC) recently met with Michael McGrath, the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, in Brussels. This meeting aimed to enhance the strategic partnership between the European Union and Japan in the areas of data protection and data flows. The partnership, established through a mutual adequacy arrangement in 2019, has created one of the largest areas for safe and free data flows globally and was further reinforced by a review of the arrangement in 2023.
Following significant reforms in Japanese data protection legislation, discussions have commenced regarding the extension of the EU adequacy decision. This extension would cover data flows not only to the private sector but also to academia, research, and the public sector. Progress has been particularly notable in the academic and research sectors, with both parties expressing their commitment to advance these discussions in the coming months, aiming for a swift conclusion.
The two commissioners also agreed to enhance their cooperation in developing trusted data flows with like-minded partners. This effort includes initiatives within the newly launched “adequacy network” by the European Commission in March 2024. Potential actions may involve extending mutual adequacy arrangements to additional countries, creating connections between different jurisdictions’ model contractual clauses, and promoting adherence to international guidelines such as the OECD’s “Principles for government access to personal data held by private sector entities.”
Regular meetings between Commissioner McGrath and Commissioner Ohshima are planned to ensure the advancement of their joint efforts. The next meeting is scheduled for September when Commissioner McGrath intends to visit Japan, continuing the collaborative work on data protection and privacy.
