December 6, 2019 Results of IGF 2019―Discussion of Reliable and Free Data Distribution to Promote Osaka Track

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was held in Berlin, Germany, from November 24 through 29, 2019.
Ms. Makiko Yamada, Vice-Minister for Policy Coordination of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), delivered a speech focused on the importance of promoting reliable and free data distribution (the idea of Data Free Flow with Trust) in a session attended by multi-stakeholders, including cabinet-level officials and high-level officers of the respective participating countries and private enterprises. Besides, the MIC side reported on the results of the G20 Ibaraki Tsukuba Trade and Digital Economy Ministers’ Meeting in a session on data distribution. Furthermore, a discussion was held with panelists from the respective countries on the promotion of reliable and free data distribution for the promotion of the Osaka Track.
In a session on AI, Vice-Minister Yamada introduced the G20 AI Principles with the underlying philosophy of a human-centered approach to AI, which was agreed at this year’s G20 Osaka Summit after a review of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that followed a discussion on AI that started at the G7 ICT Ministers’ Meeting in Takamatsu, Kagawa, in 2016.

The IGF is a meeting where multi-stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, technical and academic communities, and civil society members, talk about public policy issues related to the Internet. The United Nations Economic and Social Administration (UNDESA) serves as the secretariat, and the IGF is held annually.
At the opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Prime Minister Angela Merkel of Germany spoke on the provision of a free, open, and secure Internet environment and the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance.

1. Overview of high-level sessions

MIC’s Vice-Minister Yamada for Policy Coordination introduced the discussion at the G20 in June this year and information on the Osaka Track (see note) during a debate on the future of Internet governance, and stressed the importance of promoting reliable and free data distribution (the idea of Data Free Flow with Trust) in a session attended by cabinet-level officials, high-level officers, and leaders of the respective participating countries, private enterprises, and civil society members.
Furthermore, in a session on data governance, she introduced information bank initiatives in Japan as an example of data distribution promotion.

Note: Osaka Track
The Osaka Track is a process of developing international rules for the digital economy, especially for data distribution and e-commerce, proposed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Leaders’ Special Event on Digital Economy, which he hosted as the sideline of the G20 Osaka Summit in June this year.

2. Overview of session related to Osaka Track

At this meeting, a session on the Osaka Track was held, where the MIC side reported the results of the G20 Ibaraki Tsukuba Trade and Digital Economy Ministers’ Meeting, including the concept of reliable and free data distribution (the idea of Data Free Flow with Trust), which was agreed with the G20 countries. Furthermore, with the participation of panelists from the respective countries, the MIC side discussed the importance of harmonizing the framework for handling data that varies from country to country to promote the Osaka Track.

3. Overview of AI-related session

At this meeting, MIC’s Vice-Minister Yamada for Policy Coordination attended a forum on AI that was hosted by the OECD and delivered a speech focused on the introduction of the G20 AI Principles with the underlying philosophy of a human-centered approach to AI, which was agreed at this year’s G20 Osaka Summit after a review of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that followed a discussion on AI that started at the G7 ICT Ministers’ Meeting in Takamatsu, Kagawa, in 2016.