Okay, let’s break down this announcement from the Digital Agency of Japan and put it into an easy-to-understand article.
Headline: Japan’s Digital Agency Seeks Bids for International Data Governance Research Project
Summary:
On May 8, 2025 (at 6:00 AM Japan Standard Time), Japan’s Digital Agency (デジタル庁) published a call for bids (general competitive bidding) for a research project aimed at promoting international data governance for the fiscal year 2025 (令和7年度). The agency is seeking a contractor to conduct research and analysis related to international data governance, likely to inform its policy-making and strategic initiatives in this area.
What is International Data Governance?
International data governance refers to the development and application of rules, policies, standards, and practices to manage the flow, access, use, and protection of data across national borders. It’s a complex and increasingly important area due to the rapid growth of cross-border data flows, the rise of cloud computing, and the increasing interconnectedness of global economies.
Key aspects of international data governance include:
- Data localization: Rules requiring data to be stored and processed within a specific country’s borders.
- Data privacy and protection: Ensuring that personal data is handled responsibly and in accordance with relevant laws, such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe.
- Data security: Protecting data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.
- Data sovereignty: The concept that a nation has the right to govern the data generated within its territory.
- Data access and sharing: Balancing the need to facilitate data flows for economic and social benefit with the need to protect privacy and security.
- Cross-border data transfers: Mechanisms for legally transferring data between countries, such as adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, and binding corporate rules.
Why is this Important for Japan?
Japan, like many other countries, recognizes the importance of effective international data governance for several reasons:
- Economic competitiveness: Facilitating cross-border data flows is essential for businesses to operate globally, participate in international trade, and innovate.
- Innovation and research: Access to international data is critical for scientific research, technological development, and the creation of new products and services.
- National security: Data governance policies can help protect sensitive data from foreign governments or malicious actors.
- Protecting citizens’ data: Ensuring that the data of Japanese citizens is protected when it is transferred to other countries.
- Geopolitical influence: Participating in the development of international data governance standards and norms allows Japan to shape the global digital landscape.
Details of the Tender (General Competitive Bidding):
- Issuing Organization: Digital Agency of Japan (デジタル庁)
- Subject: Research and study for promoting international data governance (令和7年度国際データガバナンス推進のための調査研究)
- Type: General Competitive Bidding (一般競争入札) – This means that any qualified organization can submit a bid. The contract will likely be awarded based on a combination of price and technical merit.
- Fiscal Year: 2025 (令和7年度) – This indicates the Japanese fiscal year, which typically runs from April 1 to March 31. Therefore, the research is expected to be conducted during this period.
- Publication Date: May 8, 2025 (令和7年5月8日)
- Details: To find the complete details of the tender, interested parties would need to visit the provided URL: https://www.digital.go.jp/procurement and locate the specific announcement. The tender documents would typically include:
- A detailed description of the research objectives and scope of work.
- Eligibility criteria for bidders.
- Submission requirements and deadlines.
- Evaluation criteria.
- Contract terms and conditions.
Likely Scope of the Research:
The research project is likely to cover topics such as:
- Analyzing existing international data governance frameworks and initiatives.
- Identifying key challenges and opportunities related to cross-border data flows.
- Developing policy recommendations for promoting responsible and secure data sharing.
- Assessing the impact of different data localization policies on economic growth and innovation.
- Studying the role of emerging technologies, such as AI and blockchain, in international data governance.
- Comparative analysis of data protection laws and regulations in different countries.
- Exploring the role of international organizations, such as the OECD, G7, and G20, in shaping international data governance.
Who Might Be Interested in Bidding?
Potential bidders could include:
- Consulting firms specializing in data governance and digital policy.
- Research institutions and universities with expertise in international law, economics, and technology.
- Think tanks focused on digital policy and international relations.
- Legal firms specializing in data privacy and cybersecurity.
Conclusion:
The Digital Agency’s call for bids for this research project demonstrates Japan’s commitment to actively engaging in the development of international data governance norms and policies. The results of this research are likely to inform Japan’s strategic approach to cross-border data flows and its participation in international discussions on data governance issues. This initiative is part of a broader effort by Japan to become a leader in the digital economy and to ensure that it can benefit from the opportunities presented by globalization while mitigating the associated risks.
This explanation should give a comprehensive understanding of the announcement based on the information available. To obtain the complete picture, consulting the original documents on the Digital Agency’s website is highly recommended.
一般競争入札：令和7年度国際データガバナンス推進のための調査研究を掲載しました
The AI has delivered the news.
The following question was used to generate the response from Google Gemini:
At 2025-05-08 06:00, ‘一般競争入札：令和7年度国際データガバナンス推進のための調査研究を掲載しました’ was published according to デジタル庁. Please write a detailed article with related information in an easy-to-understand manner. Please answer in English.
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