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Digitally Transforming Japan: A Conversation With Former Digital Minister Karen Makishima
Mon, November 7th, 2022
Live Online
Established on September 1, 2021, Japan’s Digital Agency has already taken critical, concrete steps towards creating a basis for much-needed productivity enhancements using digital tools and embedding Japan more solidly in global IT infrastructure. Located in a brand new, commercial building outside the Kasumigaseki area, the agency began with approximately a third of its over 600 employees from the private sector to create a new organizational and working culture. It selected global IT firms to provide "government cloud" services, aiming to integrate fragmented local and central government IT services. In COVID times, it quickly rolled out a nationwide database and app for confirming the vaccination status of the population and is poised to take on more ambitious goals such as expanding the use of the My Number system by the Japanese population.
In this conversation, we will hear from former minister Makishima about how Japan's Digital Agency is spearheading the country's digital transformation and what challenges might lie ahead.
This event is cosponsored by the the Japan Program at Stanford University's Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center.
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
Event Speakers
Karen Makishima
Karen Makishima is a member of the House of Representatives in Japan from the Kanagawa 17th district since 2012. She previously served as the minister for digital, minister in charge of administrative reform, minister of state for regulatory reform, and minister of state in charge of affairs concerning the Cybersecurity Strategic Headquarters.
Kenji Kushida
Senior Fellow, Asia Program
Kenji Kushida is a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Asia Program, primarily directing research on Japan along the theme of Innovative Japan, Global Japan, including the new Japan-Silicon Valley Innovation Initiative@Carnegie.
Kiyoteru Tsutsui
Kiyoteru Tsutsui is the Henri H. and Tomoye Takahashi professor, professor of sociology, senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and deputy director of the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, where he is also director of the Japan Program.