EU-Japan Cooperation in Data Privacy

One year after its implementation first statistics show: The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is a success story. However, sustainable commercial ties require more than the exchange of goods. Cross-border transfers of personal data for the performance of contracts, for customer relations, direct marketing purposes, or in the labor context are inevitable for vivid economic relations. 

In their mutual adequacy decisions complementing the EPA, the EU and Japan determined that both offer an adequate level of data protection. These findings are meant to facilitate legally compliant transfers of personal information. Yet why is it that German and Japanese global players hardly make use of them? What is the operational impact of the European-Japanese cooperation in privacy matters? What are the benefits and obstacles for both, Japanese and German business partners? And what other options are there for personal data to legally travel between the EU and Japan?

Speaker

Prof. Dr. Henrike Weiden studied Law at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Leipzig University and Kyushu Daigaku. Having served as law consultant, lobbyist and in-house lawyer for several years, she has been appointed full professor at Munich University of Applied Sciences in 2017. Academically, Henrike Weiden has given lectures at numerous universities in Germany and Japan, mainly in the field of law and digitization with a strong focus on data privacy. Currently, her key research interest lies in cross-border transfers of personal data.

Agenda

• 09.30 Opening by Anne Pomsel, DJW
• 09.35 Welcome by Consul General Tetsuya Kimura
• 09.40 Introduction of Topic by Dr. Hermann Gumpp, Enobyte GmbH
• 09.45 Speech by Prof. Dr. Henrike Weiden
• 10.10 Q&A
• 10.30 Closing

Further Introduction of Topic

For further information on GDPR and the meaning for Japanese companies. Please also see ISOS article of DJW member Dr. Gumpp, CEO Enobyte GmbH (in Japanese).