Japanese Digital Transformation Minister Kono Taro has highlighted the need for an international framework for dialogue to ensure trust in cross-border data transfers.

A five-day UN conference on internet governance kicked off in the Japanese city of Kyoto on Sunday. Government officials and business people from tech firms are attending the gathering.

Kono took part in a panel discussion on the concept of "data free flow with trust".

He pointed out that the growing transfer of data has posed challenges such as how to deal with privacy protection regulations that are different between countries, and how to address misinformation.

Kono said that while it is difficult to unify different stances, it is necessary to build a framework for many countries and the private sector to discuss issues. He noted the need to implement a concrete project to allow smooth data transfers across borders.

Japan considers the free flow of data while ensuring trust essential for promoting the development and use of generative artificial intelligence. The government aims to step up arrangements to establish a framework for dialogue.