EU and Japan strengthen research cooperation across AI, quantum, data and emerging digital technologies

The European Union and Japan have agreed to take further steps to strengthen cooperation in regulation, research and industry across data, AI, quantum technologies, semiconductors, digital infrastructure and online platforms.

Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, and Japan's Hisashi Matsumoto, Minister for Digital Transformation, and Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communication, gathered on 05/05/2026 for the fourth meeting of the EU-Japan Digital Partnership Council in Brussels.

The European Union and Japan plan to improve data governance, including the creation of a Data Strategy Working Group. They also welcomed the extension of their data adequacy arrangement to academia and research, meaning Japan is recognised as providing an equivalent level of data protection to the EU. This allows universities and research institutions to exchange data more easily, reducing legal and administrative barriers and speeding up joint research and innovation projects.

In parallel, both partners are…