The partnership supports the Digital Services Act and Japan’s platform law, focusing on transparency requirements and addressing illegal online content.
The European Commission has signed a cooperation arrangement with Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to strengthen the enforcement of digital platform regulation.
The agreement was concluded during the fourth EU–Japan Digital Partnership Council meeting in Brussels and focuses on cooperation to improve oversight of online platforms under respective regulatory frameworks.
The arrangement supports the implementation of the EU’s Digital Services Act and Japan’s Information Distribution Platform Act. Both sides will collaborate on key areas, including transparency requirements and notice-and-action systems for illegal or harmful online content.
Cooperation will be delivered through technical expert exchanges, joint training sessions, shared research initiatives, and coordinated studies. Officials said closer international alignment is important for maintaining a secure and trusted online environment as digital platforms operate across borders.
The agreement follows similar partnerships with regulators in the United Kingdom and Australia, including joint work on age assurance standards. The Commission said the agreement forms part of broader efforts to develop coordinated approaches to platform governance and digital safety regulation.
Why does it matter?
The agreement highlights the need for coordinated international oversight of digital platforms operating across borders. As online services expand globally, closer alignment between jurisdictions like the EU and Japan helps close regulatory gaps and strengthen consistent standards for transparency and accountability.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!