Data and Values
German and Japanese perspectives

A video recording of this event is available on the DIJ YouTube channel

Speakers 

Axel v.d. Bussche, Taylor Wessing (Presentation PDF)
Stefan Heumann, Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (Presentation PDF)
Hitomi Iwase, Nishimura & Asahi (Presentation PDF)
Koichi Sumikura, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, GRIPS (Presentation PDF)

Moderator  

Franz Waldenberger, German Institute for Japanese Studies

Data are widely considered to be the “oil” of the digital economy. But whereas the concept seems essential and ubiquitous, social, economic, and legal aspects associated with the meaning, ownership, exchange, use, and protection of data remain highly contested even among countries with similar economic and political systems like Japan and Germany.

Our speakers presented the main legal regulations and public discourses related to the concept of data in Japan and Germany. They also discussed major differences in the understanding of data and their implications for the ownership, protection, use, and international exchange.

Introducing the speakers and the moderator

Axel v.d. Bussche

is a specialist lawyer for information technology law. He heads up the Technology, Media & Telecoms practice group and coordinates Taylor Wessing’s international US Group for Germany. With his considerable years of experience and outstanding expertise, he routinely guides clients from the technology sector through complex international transactions, contract drafting and regulatory issues. Axel is an accomplished data protection and GDPR expert. He supports corporate groups with the transformation to digital and global business models and also conducts negotiations with the responsible regulatory authorities.

Stefan Heumann

is a political scientist by training. During the past years he built Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV) into Germany’s leading non-profit, non-partisan think tank working at the intersection of technology and public policy. He is particularly interested in agile and collaborative methods of policy analysis. He works, publishes and speaks on a wide range of topics of German and international tech policy. Stefan serves as board member of the Open Knowledge Foundation Germany. He served as an expert member of the German Parliament’s Commission on AI. Stefan holds a PhD in political science from the University of Pennsylvania.

Hitomi Iwase

is a partner at Nishimura & Asahi specializing in the areas of IP (intellectual property), IT (information technology) and data privacy. She regularly advises clients on emerging legal issues relating to the latest technology, such as IoT and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as on complex system-related transactions and disputes over such transactions. In the area of data privacy, Ms. Iwase extensively provides data protection and privacy compliance including establishing global compliance systems as well as incidents such as data breaches. She also advises on related areas such as e-commerce, advertising, and consumer protection.

Koichi Sumikura

is Professor at National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) specializing in the area of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, Intellectual Property Policy, and Social Issues on Life Sciences. Especially his research focuses on how to enhance university-industry cooperation to promote innovation utilizing knowledge from academic research. He is a board member of the Japan Society for Research Policy and Innovation Management (JSRPIM). He is also a chief editor of the special issues, Journal of Intellectual Property Association of Japan. He holds a PhD (Doctor of Engineering) from the University of Tokyo.

Franz Waldenberger

is Director of the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ) in Tokyo. He is on leave from Munich University where he holds a professorship for Japanese Economy. His research focuses on the Japanese Economy, Corporate Governance and International Management. He is editor-in-chief of the international peer reviewed journal Contemporary Japan. His recent publications include Governance, Risk and Financial Impact of Mega Disasters. Lessons from Japan, Springer 2019 (co-edited with A. Kamesaka).