EU and Japan deepen AI cooperation under new digital pact

The digital pact is anchored in the broader Strategic Partnership Agreement to safeguard shared democratic values and infrastructure resilience.
EU Japan digital partnership, AI cooperation, Hiroshima AI Process, Q‑NEKO quantum project, 6G MIRAI‑HARMONY, semiconductor collaboration, data governance EU-Japan, digital identity interoperability, trusted data flow with trust, strategic partnership agreement, Tokyo Digital Council May 2025

In May 2025, the European Union and Japan formally reaffirmed their long-standing EU‑Japan Digital Partnership during the third Digital Partnership Council in Tokyo. Delegations agreed to deepen collaboration in pivotal digital technologies, most notably artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G/6G networks, semiconductors, cloud, and cybersecurity.

A joint statement committed to signing an administrative agreement on AI, aligned with principles from the Hiroshima AI Process. Shared initiatives include a €4 million EU-supported quantum R&D project named Q‑NEKO and the 6G MIRAI‑HARMONY research effort.

Both parties pledge to enhance data governance, digital identity interoperability, regulatory coordination across platforms, and secure connectivity via submarine cables and Arctic routes. The accord builds on the Strategic Partnership Agreement activated in January 2025, reinforcing their mutual platform for rules-based, value-driven digital and innovation cooperation.

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