TOKYO: Digital economy ministers of the Group of 20 major economies again confirmed the importance of reliable and free data distribution in a teleconference held Wednesday.

The ministers reached the conclusion amid a rapid expansion of the cross-border digital economy spurred by the novel coronavirus pandemic. They also discussed measures to strengthen information security.

From Japan, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hideki Makihara and State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Minoru Terada attended the teleconference.

In a statement issued after the session, the G20 ministers underscored the importance of sharing knowledge about data-related policies.

Free data flows help speed up social and economic development while sparking concerns related to privacy and national security.

The G20 ministers agreed that measures to enhance security in the digital economy should be discussed among government, business and academic representatives rather than being decided top-down by governments.

JIJI Press