April 30, 2023 Results of the G7 Digital and Tech Ministers’ Meeting in Takasaki, Gunma

On April 29 and 30, 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) hosted the G7 Digital and Tech Ministers’ Meeting in Takasaki, Gunma, jointly with the Digital Agency and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). This meeting was one of the ministerial meetings of the G7 Hiroshima Summit, which will be held from May 19 through 21. The meeting discussed various issues in digital technology, and the Ministerial Declaration and Annexes were adopted as the outcome documents.

1. Main outcomes of discussions at this meeting

The meeting discussed six themes: Facilitation of Cross-Border Data Flows and Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT), Secure and Resilient Digital Infrastructure, Internet Governance, Emerging and Disruptive Technologies in Innovating Society and Economy, Responsible AI and AI Governance, and Digital Competition. The G7 Digital and Tech Ministerial Declaration was adopted as the outcome of the meeting.

The main points of the Ministerial Declaration are as follows:

(1) Facilitation of Cross-Border Data Flows and Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT)

The Digital and Tech Ministers of the G7 agreed to establish the Institutional Arrangement for Partnership (IAP) for operationalizing DFFT and the Annex on G7 Vision for Operationalising DFFT and its Priorities.

(2) Building a Secure and Resilient Digital Infrastructure

The Digital and Tech Ministers of the G7 agreed to develop a vision for future networks in the Beyond 5G/6G era, including openness and interoperability. They agreed on the G7 Action Plan for Building a Secure and Resilient Digital Infrastructure.

(3) Internet Governance

The Digital and Tech Ministers of the G7 agreed on the G7 Action Plan for Open, Free, Global, Interoperable, Reliable, and Secure Internet Governance to maintain their commitment to the promotion of one global, unfragmented Internet.

(4) Emerging and Disruptive Technologies in Innovating Society and Economy

The Digital and Tech Ministers of the G7 agreed on ensuring the interoperability of digital infrastructure, addressing software vulnerabilities in the digital supply chain, and utilizing governance practices that are friendly to innovative technological innovations.

(5) Responsible AI and Global AI Governance

The Digital and Tech Ministers of the G7 agreed on the Action Plan for promoting global interoperability between tools for trustworthy AI and to plan to convene future G7 discussions on generative AI as soon as possible.

(6) Digital Competition

The Digital and Tech Ministers of the G7 agreed to share the challenges common to all countries in drafting and enforcing existing and new legislation in digital competition and to hold a Digital Competition Summit this autumn.

2. Bilateral talks overview

Seizing the opportunity of this meeting, MATSUMOTO Takeaki, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, held a series of bilateral talks. (Additionally, the bilateral talks with Ukraine were scheduled for the same day after the G7 Digital and Tech Ministers’ Meeting in Takasaki, Gunma.)