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Joint Press Statement for the U.S.-Japan Policy Cooperation Dialogue on the Internet Economy - The Sixth Director General-Level Meeting
[September 20, 2014]

Joint Press Statement for the U.S.-Japan Policy Cooperation Dialogue on the Internet Economy - The Sixth Director General-Level Meeting


(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the following news release: The United States and Japan held the sixth Director General-level meeting of the U.S.-Japan Policy Cooperation Dialogue on the Internet Economy in Washington, D.C. on September 16 and 17, 2014.



In this dialogue, which included a session with private sector representatives, participants held candid and vibrant discussions on important Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) topics, such as: U.S.-Japan cooperation for ensuring the multi-stakeholder system of Internet governance; the use of personal data and protection of privacy; improving awareness of cyber security risks; telecommunications services; open data; R&D cooperation; and ICT for development. In particular, the United States and Japan continued their joint coordination in preparation for the upcoming Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU PP-14).

(1) U.S.-Japan Cooperation for Securing the Multi-Stakeholder System of Internet Governance Participants underscored the importance of an inclusive, open, and transparent system of Internet governance based on the multi-stakeholder approach endorsed in international fora, such as the "NETmundial" conference held in Sao Paolo, Brazil in April 2014. Participants noted satisfaction with increasing global support for multi-stakeholder Internet governance and shared the view that international cooperation on Internet policy issues is vital to ensuring the free flow of information and further development of the global Internet Economy.


Specifically, participants concurred that both governments will steadfastly support free and open Internet policies at ITU PP-14, to be convened in Busan, Republic of Korea, in October 2014. Participants further concurred that sustaining the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance is essential to preserving the free and open Internet. Participants also concurred that they will cooperatively lead deliberations on important agendas such as ensuring the ITU's fiscal soundness, and positively affirming its role in matters such as global spectrum management, telecommunications standardization, and related development efforts.

In addition, participants welcomed the progress of preparations for educational activities, such as the planned seminar for the ITU's Development Sector, entitled "Securing Information and Communication Networks: Best Practices for Developing a Culture of Cybersecurity," which was announced at the fifth Internet Economy Dialogue in March 2014, and confirmed their commitment to continuing preparations in a cooperative manner.

The Japanese government expressed its support for the U.S. government's announcement to transition stewardship of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to the global multi-stakeholder community as the final phase of the privatization of the Domain Name System (DNS), as outlined by the U.S. government in 1997. Participants expressed satisfaction with the growing role of the multistakeholder community in Internet Governance activities.

Participants also welcomed the joint "U.S.-Japan Business Dialogue on the Internet Economy Joint Statement," submitted by industry representatives from both countries through the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) and the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren). The statement addresses the importance of cooperative action by the U.S. and Japanese governments to secure the free flow of information and multi-stakeholder system of Internet governance, which are vital to the development of the Internet Economy. Participants welcomed the effort by U.S. and Japanese industry to maintain the free and open Internet through engaging in the multi-stakeholder system and requested their continued effort in line with the governments of the United States and Japan to involve industry in this dialogue for the further development of the Internet Economy.

(2) Use of Personal Data and Protection of Privacy Participants will continue to exchange views concerning the protection of personal data in an international environment.

In addition, participants will continue to share and update best practices in order to maintain international cooperation on protection of smartphone application user privacy under voluntary action by the private sector and to seek opportunities for mutual coordination and implementation of best practices.

(3) Cybersecurity Participants shared the view that international cooperation involving governments and the private sector is vital for addressing increasingly difficult cross-border cybersecurity challenges. They noted the shared responsibility in addressing cybersecurity threats and expressed support for continued efforts to raise cybersecurity awareness. Participants will continue to share best practices and to cooperate on joint awareness-raising activities both bilaterally and in regional and global fora.

Participants will work together at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference to encourage the ITU to work with other institutions to build capacity and share best practices, recognizing that issues of national security, cybercrime, and content are outside its mandate.

(4) R&D Cooperation Participants welcomed significant progress on research and development cooperation on the New Generation Network (NWGN) / Future Internet such as holding the kick-off meeting in the United States in June 2014, which resulted in the development of a concrete research and development roadmap, a collaboration plan for seven joint projects, and a U.S.-Japan jointly authored paper on some projects. Participants also welcomed progress on research and development in the field of Cyber Physical Cloud Computing (CPCC) such as holding the fourth joint workshop in Japan in August 2014, and will continue collaboration and information exchange regarding the Internet of Things, cloud computing and social network services. Participants will continue to foster joint research and development cooperation between the United States and Japan.

(5) "Wired for the Future: U.S.-Japan Cooperation for the New Internet Economy" On the occasion of the sixth Internet Economy Dialogue, the Center for American Progress (CAP) hosted an event entitled, "Wired for the Future: U.S.-Japan Cooperation for the New Internet Economy," with the participation of U.S. Under Secretary of State Catherine Novelli, Japanese Ambassador to the United States Kenichiro Sasae, and other representatives from the U.S. and the Japanese governments.

This event highlighted the enhanced cooperation between both governments and the private sector through the framework of the Internet Economy Dialogue. The event also drew attention to the fact that the United States and Japan share core values such as democracy and the free flow of information and that both will cooperate to lead development of the global Internet Economy. Participants commented that this public event symbolized solid cooperation between the two countries on Internet Economy issues, and noted that this event helped draw attention to the importance of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in this field.

Participants: The United States delegation was led by Deputy U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy John Spilsbury, with the participation of officials representing the U.S. Department of State; the Federal Communications Commission; the Department of Commerce; the Federal Trade Commission; the Department of Homeland Security; the National Science Foundations (NSF); and the U.S. Access Board. The Japanese delegation was led by Director General Shigeki Suzuki, of the Global ICT Strategy Bureau from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), with the participation of officials representing MIC; the ICT Strategy Office; the National Information Security Center; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. In addition, private sector representatives from both the United States and Japan, including representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) and the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), participated in a number of the discussions.

TNS 30FurigayJane-140920-4867882 30FurigayJane (c) 2014 Targeted News Service

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