Advancing EU-Japan Digital Collaboration with the INPACE “EU-Japan Digital Week 2025”

 

Adam Kapovits
Eurescom

Alessandro Bassi
Eurescom

As the Indo-Pacific region and Europe deepen their technological integration, fostering strategic cooperation through trusted digital platforms becomes increasingly vital. To support building a momentum, the EU-Japan Digital Week 2025, held from 31 March to 7 April in Tokyo, brought together key stakeholders from both regions to advance shared priorities in areas such as 6G, Data Spaces, Smart Connectivity, and Trustworthy AI, reinforcing a joint commitment to collaborative digital transformation.

A Milestone for EU-Indo-Pacific Digital Engagement

Launched under Horizon Europe, INPACE (Indo-Pacific-European Hub for Digital Partnerships) is a Coordination and Support Action designed to implement and advance the EU’s Digital Partnerships with key Indo-Pacific nations—Japan, Republic of Korea, and Singapore—and with India through the Trade and Technology Council (TTC). With a robust consortium of European and Asian stakeholders, INPACE aims to establish a sustainable, expert-driven hub that supports research, innovation, and policy collaboration in strategic technology domains.

The first INPACE International Symposium, held in Seoul, South Korea on 21–22 October 2024, set the tone for these ambitions. The event brought together policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to address key challenges and explore cooperation opportunities in transformative digital technologies.

Spotlight on EU-Japan Digital Week 2025

The next major milestone was the EU-Japan Digital Week, which took place from 31 March to 7 April 2025 in Tokyo. Organised in the frame of the EU-Japan Digital Partnership and under the auspices of the European Delegation to Japan and the guidance of Peter Fatelnig, Minister Counsellor for Digital Economy Policy at the Delegation of the EU to Japan.

This high-level gathering convened stakeholders from across Europe, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific, highlighting collaborative work in areas such as:

  • 6G Development
  • Smart Connectivity and Edge Computing
  • Data Spaces and Trusted Data Exchange
  • Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence

A key focus of the event was to align digital policy objectives, foster innovation ecosystems, and explore how disruptive trends like generative AI are reshaping strategic agendas.

Workshop Highlights

The event featured a series of deep-dive workshops designed to strengthen collaboration between the European Union and Japan in strategic digital areas.

Monday, 31 March – Smart Connectivity and Computing

Organised by Dr. Giacomo Inches (Martel Innovate, Switzerland, in collaboration with NexusForum.EU project) and supported by Prof. Kiyoshi Murata (Meiji University), this workshop bridged the gap between the EU and Japan in the fields of cloud-edge computing and smart connectivity. Industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers discussed collaboration opportunities in open-source technologies, industrial verticals, and cross-cutting digital innovation topics.

Tuesday, 1 April – 6G Horizons: Synergies for a Connected Future

Co-organised by Adam Kapovits (Eurescom) and Prof. Akihiro Nakao (ASPIRE, Japan), this full-day workshop at the University of Tokyo fostered collaboration and partnership between the EU, Japan, and other Indo-Pacific countries in the field of 6G development. The session explored whether current R&D directions aligned with societal and business needs, particularly in the context of rapidly evolving technologies like generative AI.

Wednesday, 2 April – Closed-Door Policy Workshop:
The EU–Japan Digital Partnership: Going Forward

Co-organised by Dr. Eva Pejsova (Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS)) and Dr. Kazuto Suzuki (Institute of Geoeconomics (IOG)), this exclusive session addressed high-level policy topics such as technological innovation, emerging technologies and security cooperation, domestic policy coordination, and approaches to global digital governance. Discussions aimed to align strategic objectives and identify opportunities for joint action considering critical digital connectivity infrastructures among others.


Adam Kapovits (Eurescom) presenting during the Closed-door
policy workshop: The EU-Japan Digital Partnership: Going Forward

Wednesday, 2 April – Trusted Data Exchanges in Cities:
From Standards to Pilots in a Changing World

Led by Dr. Franck Le Gall (EGM) in collaboration with Japanese and European experts, this workshop promoted the practical implementation of trusted data exchanges in urban environments. It focused on enabling technologies such as semantic interoperability, digital identities, and dataspaces to support smart, secure, and connected cities.

Thursday, 3 April & Friday, 4 April – Data Spaces:
How to Make Business from Data in a Legal Fashion

Organised by Dr. Antonis Ramfos (Athens Technology Center, Greece), this two-day workshop explored the role of data spaces in digital transformation. Topics included architectural models, legal frameworks, and interoperability challenges, along with presentations of successful business models and real-world case studies from both the EU and Japan.


Discussions ongoing during the interactive Data Spaces: How to Make Business from Data in a Legal Fashion

Monday, 7 April – Critical Applications of AI in Industry, ­Healthcare and Other Sectors

This workshop focused on the development of AI systems for critical applications where high reliability is essential. Organised by Prof. Sebastian Engell (TU Dortmund and ENRICH Global), with co-organisers Prof. Iiro Harjunkoski (Aalto University and Hitachi Energy Europe) and Nobuo Nukaga (Hitachi R&D, Japan), the event brought together experts to share good practices and tackle real-world challenges. Discussions centred on ensuring the robustness, safety, and trustworthiness of AI used in areas like healthcare, industrial automation, and transportation—where failure can have serious consequences. Japanese interpretation was not available.

Eurescom’s Role in the INPACE Project: Driving Strategy ­Collaboration to Strengthen EU-Japan Connections

Eurescom played an important role in the EU-Japan Digital Week 2025, underscoring its leadership within the INPACE project and its commitment to fostering cross-regional digital collaboration. Alessandro Bassi contributed to the “6G Horizons” workshop regarding the SNS JU SUSTAIN-6G , whilst Adam Kapovits co-organised the “6G Horizons” workshop and contributed to the closed-door policy discussion.

Eurescom brought its deep expertise in network and service innovation to the forefront of discussions on future digital infrastructures and trustworthy AI. As the lead of INPACE’s Cluster 5 on Digital Technologies – Future Networks, Eurescom has been instrumental in facilitating expert engagement between European and Japanese stakeholders.

With a strong legacy in collaborative R&D and prior engagement in initiatives such as the ESA-NICT partnership, Eurescom serves as a vital bridge for Japan-EU technological cooperation. Through INPACE, Eurescom contributes to shaping the strategic agenda on future connectivity, digital trust, and innovation ecosystems by coordinating expert dialogues, supporting policy alignment, and promoting practical pilot initiatives that accelerate the digital transformation across Europe and Asia.

Looking Forward

The outcomes of the EU-Japan Digital Week 2025 will feed into ongoing policy dialogues and future cooperation initiatives under the EU’s Digital Partnerships with Indo-Pacific countries. Building on this high-impact event, INPACE will continue to serve as a strategic enabler for advancing joint research, innovation, and policy action in trusted and transformative digital technologies.

Further information

How Eurescom is Paving the Way for Digital Partnerships via the Indo-Pacific collaboration: INPACE

 

Adam Kapovits
Eurescom

Alessandro Bassi
Eurescom

As the digital transformation of global economies accelerates, fostering international cooperation in digital technology has become essential. To support this vision, the EU-funded INPACE project was launched in January 2024. INPACE plays an important role in supporting the implementation and advancement of the Digital Partnerships established between the European Union and key Indo-Pacific countries, including Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, and through the Trade and Technology Council with India.

What is INPACE about?

The INPACE project, short for Indo-Pacific-European Hub for Digital Partnerships: Trusted Digital Technologies for Sustainable Well-Being, is a Coordination and Support Action designed to foster digital cooperation across the EU and the Indo-Pacific region. Running until June 2027, the project unites 21 European and Asian partners, creating a hub to support collaborative research, policy development, and industry connections. INPACE’s mission is to enhance digital technology partnerships and advance cooperation in strategic areas that benefit both regions. The digital partnerships cover an extremely wide range of technologies, notably through the collaboration in 16 Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) organised under 5 clusters (see Figure below).

The Context Behind INPACE: Strengthening EU-Asia Digital Cooperation

The European Union has made strides in building robust partnerships with Asia in digital technology fields. Guided by the EU’s Digital Compass Strategy and Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Digital Partnerships were established with Japan and South Korea in 2022, and Singapore in 2023. Additionally, the EU initiated the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) with India to foster collaboration on technology and trade. These partnerships underscore a shared commitment to digital growth and emphasize the EU’s strategy to enhance cooperation on emerging digital technologies and develop policies for sustainable growth and resilience.

Objectives of INPACE

INPACE aims to turn these high-level partnerships into impactful projects by:

1. Supporting Digital Partnerships: Facilitating the EU’s Digital Partnerships and the TTC with India, translating these into tangible outcomes.
2. Boosting International Collaboration: Encouraging digital cooperation between Europe and Asia by connecting leading researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers.
3. Enhancing Research and Innovation Collaboration: Promoting joint research and industrial collaboration to drive technological advances and commercialization.
4. Fostering Policy Convergence: Supporting international digital policies to enhance synergies, inform policymaking, and facilitate international dialogue.
5. Promoting Human-Centered Technologies: Developing digital technologies that prioritize human-centric values for inclusivity, sustainability, and security.

The INPACE Symposium: Building Bridges in Digital Technology and Policy

The first INPACE Symposium on Digital Technologies and Policies took place on October 21-22, 2024, at the Daeyang AI Center, Sejong University, in Seoul, Republic of Korea. This two-day event brought together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from Europe and the Indo-Pacific region to discuss key developments and policies in digital technology. Major topics included:

  • Trusted AI: Leveraging the power of AI responsibly, with an emphasis on ethics and reliability.
  • Semiconductor Innovation: Highlighting the latest advances in chip technology essential for digital infrastructures.
  • Future Networks: Analyzing the progress in next-generation connectivity and communication.
  • Cybersecurity: Addressing strategies to protect digital networks and data privacy.

Eurescom’s Dual Role at the INPACE ­Symposium

Eurescom plays a pivotal role at the INPACE Symposium with two significant contributions in the Technical Thematic Sessions and Workshops on October 21, 2024:

  • The first session on “5G/6G technologies” was moderated by Eurescom’s Project Manager Adam Kapovits. Joined by speakers professor Rui Aguiar, professor Hyonwoo Lee, and professor Sunwoo Kim, the session examined the current challenges in 6G development and with a focus on how Europe and the Republic of Korea can collaboratively address these issues, it surveyed the Republic of Korea and European 6G development strategies and research programmes. The technical discussion offered valuable insights into the future of connectivity and the various approaches and highlighted the potential for collaboration in next-generation networks development.
  • The second session, titled “EU Funding Opportunities” explored the new avenues for collaboration following the upcoming association of Republic of Korea with Horizon Europe. Moderated by Dr. Svetlana Klessova (GAC) and Adam Kapovits (Eurescom), the session outlined various funding opportunities within Horizon Europe, paying particular attention to Pillar II, which addresses global challenges and European industrial competitiveness. Dr. Klessova presented examples of Horizon Europe’s opportunities, while Mr. Kapovits discussed the Eureka programme, highlighting the CELTIC-NEXT initiative in which Korea is actively engaged.
    A Q&A session followed, providing participants an opportunity to connect directly with the INPACE consortium and explore collaborative funding options in more detail.

Looking Ahead: The Future Impact of INPACE

INPACE will continue to work and align the strategies to further the goals of the Digital Partnerships and the Trade and Technology Council (TTC), fostering deeper cross-continental cooperation, advancing research and technology development, and supporting policy alignment.

In the coming months, INPACE has an exciting line-up of activities, including a series of webinars and a one-day workshop on 6G to be held at the University of Tokyo during EU-Japan Digital Week from 31st March 2025 to 4th April 2025. The second major symposium of INPACE is planned for the Autumn of 2025 in Singapore, building on the momentum of collaboration and innovation across regions.

This continued partnership will not only drive technological advancement but also contribute to a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous digital future for Europe and the Indo-Pacific. The community is encouraged to stay tuned for these impactful events and initiatives that will further elevate digital cooperation and 6G innovation.

Further information


INPACE team after the first day of symposium workshops


INPACE symposium closing picture on Digital Technologies and policies in Seoul