

7th-8th June 2021
7th-8th June 2021
2nd EU-Japan Competition Week
2nd EU-JAPAN COMPETITION WEEK
The 2nd EU-Japan Competition Week took place online on 7 and 8 June 2021. The initiative is the second in a series of annual dialogues providing a platform for cooperation and frank exchanges between the European Commission Directorate-General for Competition (DG Competition), the EU Member States National Competition Authorities and the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC).
The Competition Week opened with a closed-door meeting between the JFTC, DG Competition and DG CONNECT to discuss on competition and digital markets. During the first session, representatives from the JFTC and the EC discussed and exchanged on regulatory and policy developments in the EU and Japan since 2019, to identify and address competition concerns in digital markets.
The second day of the Competition Week followed with a closed-door session between the JFTC and DG Competition, encouraging officials to reflect and exchange on their experiences on how to integrate economic analysis into competition enforcement and how to apply it to competition cases in digital markets. The exchanges allowed both sides to address the priorities and challenges in their competition policy and enforcement and to engage in constructive technical and practical exchanges.
EU-Japan Competition Weeks take place annually, allowing officials from DG Competition and the JFTC to engage in a dialogue to enhance cooperation and transparency in the field of competition.
AGENDA
TBC
Thursday 19 September 2019
Competition Law Enforcement in the Digital Economy – Perspectives from the EU and Japan
12-30 – 13:00 Registration
13:00-13:30
Welcome address by the EU Delegation to Japan
Opening remarks:
Launch of EU-Japan Competition week:
- Mr Akinori YAMADA, Secretary General, Japan Fair Trade Commission
- Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
13:30 -14:30
Session I: Competition law challenges in the digital economy
This panel will explore the key features of the digital economy, which has created opportunities, but also challenges for policy makers and competition agencies. It will discuss the upcoming digital challenges, including market power, the competitive impact of Big Data, and mergers in digital markets, and their implications for competition policy.
Moderator: Mr Torben TOFT, Senior Expert, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission, Brussels
– Mr. Kiyoaki Shirakawa, Executive Officer General Manager, Corporate Management Division, Kakaku.com Inc
– Dr. Hiroyuki ODAGIRI, Professor Emeritus at Hitotsubashi University, Japan
– Dr Philip MARSDEN, Professor of Law and Economics, College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium
Q&A
14:30 – 15:30
Session II: Competition law enforcement in digital markets
This panel will examine the respective approaches of the EU and Japan’s competition law enforcement in digital markets. The panellists will discuss recent cases, the sectors and issues that have raised concerns and enforcement policy responses.
Moderator: Mr Masaya SAKUMA, Director, International Affairs Division, Japan Fair Trade Commission
– Mr Brice ALIBERT, Deputy Head of Unit, Antitrust: IT, Internet and Consumer Electronics, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission, Brussels (20 minutes)
-Mr Yasuhiro YOSHIKAWA, Senior Investigator, Investigation Bureau, Japan Fair Trade Commission (20 mins)
Q&A
15:30- 16:00 Coffee/ Tea Break
16:00– 17:30
Session III: Policy responses to address competition concerns in high-technology markets
This panel will discuss the role of competition enforcement to keep digital markets competitive for the benefit of consumers and market players. It will consider how to adapt competition policy for the digital era, and whether a new regulatory model is necessary. The panel will also explore how competition authorities and regulators can keep pace with developments and the impact of new digital business models on competition.
Moderator: Ms. Hilary JENNINGS, Senior Competition Expert, EU-Asia Competition Cooperation Project
– Mr Brice ALIBERT, Deputy Head of Unit, Antitrust: IT, Internet and Consumer Electronics, Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission, Brussels
– Mr Nobuaki FUJII, Director, General Affairs Division, Economic Affairs Bureau, Japan Fair Trade Commission
– Dr. Hiroyuki ODAGIRI, Professor Emeritus at Hitotsubashi University, Japan
– Dr Philip MARSDEN, Professor of Law and Economics, College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium
– Mr. Kiyoaki Shirakawa, Executive Officer, Corporate Management Division General Manager, Kakaku.com, Inc.
Q&A
17:30 – 17:45
Closing remarks
– Mr Masaya SAKUMA, Director, International Affairs Division, Japan Fair Trade Commission Japan Fair Trade Commission
– Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
18:00 – 19:30 Networking reception for participants
SATURDAY
Morning
- 10am-11.30am: Round-table on Water Policies with John Doe (Veolia)
- 11.30am-12.30am: Keynote Speech with John Doe (Veolia)
Afternoon
Evening
Welcome Drinks and Dinner