1st EU-Japan Competition Week
19-20 September 2019
T he 1st EU-Japan Competition Week took place in Tokyo on 19th and 20th September 2019. The initiative is a first 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 public conference on competition law enforcement in the digital economy. The conference attracted a large audience of representatives from academia, private sector and government from both Japan and the EU to follow the panel discussions on the competition challenges posed by the digitalisation of the economy and the approaches taken by competition authorities. Experts and officials further explored how to ensure that the digital economy benefits consumers and the broader economy.
The conference was followed by closed-door sessions between the JFTC, DG Competition and the Austrian Federal Competition Authority, encouraging officials to frankly exchange their views and experiences on a range of technical topics, including mergers in innovation markets, investigative procedures and engagement with parties during antitrust proceedings. This 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 will 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.
Schedule
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
