On 23 January 2019, the European Commission (the Commission)
adopted its adequacy decision on Japan, allowing for the free flow
of personal data between the European Union (EU) and Japan. It is
the last step in a procedure following a number of discussions and
the recognition of each other's data protection systems.
As a result of this decision, the EU and Japan will now enjoy
equivalent protection of their personal data when transferred,
allowing individuals and companies to benefit from safe data flows.
According to EU sources, the adequacy decision has created the
world's largest area of safe data flows.
Background to the Decision
The commitment to safe data flows between the two economies came
in July 2017, where in a joint statement the President of the
Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and Prime Minister of Japan,
Shinzo Abe, recognised "the importance of ensuring a high
level of privacy and security of personal data as a fundamental
right and as a central
