October 16, 2024 Results of the G7 Digital and Tech Ministerial Meeting

 On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, the G7 Digital and Tech Ministerial Meeting was held in Como, Italy, and Vice-Minister for International Affairs, IMAGAWA attended from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). At the meeting, G7 member countries and region as well as international organizations participated, and latest policy issues related to digital and technological fields were discussed. The joint statement was published as the outcome document.

1. Date of holding the meeting

 Tuesday, October 15, 2024

2. Participating countries, region, and international organizations

[G7 member countries and region]
Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Italy (Presidency), Japan, the UK, the USA
[International organizations]
OECD, UNESCO

3. Summary of outcomes of the meeting

 At this meeting, the participants discussed the following that were agreed to continue discussing under the “G7 Industry, Technology and Digital Ministerial Declaration” in March 2024: "Toolkit for Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector, Compendium of Digital Government Services and Mapping Exercise of Digital Identity Approaches" and "Advancing the Outcomes of the Hiroshima Artificial Intelligence Process."
 In the discussion on "Advancing the Outcomes of the Hiroshima Artificial Intelligence Process”, Vice-Minister IMAGAWA emphasized on the need to ensure international interoperability in AI governance and the importance of further promoting the Hiroshima AI Process. He also strongly urged that the "monitoring framework" to check the efforts of companies and organizations that voluntarily comply with the International Code of Conduct is important for ensuring the effectiveness of the Hiroshima AI Process and that preparatory work for this framework should be completed as soon as possible so that the framework can be put into force.
 Furthermore, he expressed that the "Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group" led by Japan, would promote information exchanges on each country's efforts in AI governance and improve the interoperability of each country's efforts. He also stated his hope that under Canada's Presidency next year the Hiroshima AI Process could be further advanced toward the realization of "safe, secure and trustworthy AI."

 As a result of the ministerial discussions, the joint statement was published as the outcome of the meeting. Concerning the monitoring framework, the statement expressed the ministers’ appreciation for the companies and organizations that participated in the pilot project and that member countries should continue discussions and advance the mechanism by the end of 2024 in collaboration with the OECD.
 Italy also published the summary by the G7 Italian Presidency, outlining its views concerning the work plan until the end of 2024 as the G7 chair.

4. Overview of bilateral meetings, etc.

 Making use of the opportunity to attend the ministerial meeting, Vice- Minister IMAGAWA held bilateral meetings with the following ministers and high officials to deepen the understandings mutually shared on policy issues:

• Canada: Alix Dostal, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategy and Innovation Policy Sector, Innovation, Science and Economic Development
• The EU: Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission
• France: Henri Verdier, Ambassador for Digital Affairs
• The USA: Nathaniel Fick, Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, the U.S. Department of State