Digital Government Productivity & Transformation
GovTech partners the Digital Agency of Japan to push Digital Government Transformation
9 June 2022
GovTech and Japan's Digital Agency join forces! A signed three-year collaboration in digital government transformation, AI, and more.
Exciting times ahead for GovTech as we look forward to more collaboration and joint activities with the Digital Agency of Japan.
On 26 May 2022, Dr Janil Puthucheary, Minister-in-charge of GovTech, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on Digital Government Transformation, with Japan’s Minister for Digital, Karen Makishima in Tokyo.
The Digital Agency of Japan is a newly established entity just launched in Sep 2021. Its mandate is to upgrade the Japanese public sector’s online services and infrastructure.
The signing, which took place on digital tablets, was witnessed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during their bilateral summit. The meeting was part of Prime Minister Lee’s four-day working visit to Japan.
GovTech Deputy Chief Executive Chan Cheow Hoe was present at the signing ceremony.
He said: “This is a win-win collaboration for both countries and both agencies. Such exchanges will benefit the design and development of digital services for our citizens and businesses.”
MOC signing between GovTech and JDA
What’s happening under the MOC?
The three-year agreement will focus on the exchange of knowledge and experience in areas including digital identity, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud services and even digital technologies to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the National Digital Identity (NDI) front, for example, both countries will explore the mutual recognition of verified credentials for their residents’ digital identities. This will benefit digital trade and people-to-people flows between both countries.
GovTech and Japan’s Digital Agency will also work on building mutual capabilities by sharing of skills and co-organising training courses, programmes and workshops – and supporting each other’s digital government events.
We can also look forward to meetings that foster collaboration between the senior leaders of each agency.
Finally, the MOC will also see both agencies jointly publishing a Singapore-Japan digital government report.
The MOC will be driven by these key principles:
User-centric design in designing digital government services to serve the needs of citizens and businesses
Supporting open, inclusive and transparent government, including promoting open standards and open-source technology
Supporting accessible services for all
As Singapore and Japan celebrate 56 years of diplomatic ties, the new MOCs offer both countries more opportunities to work together on digital transformation as partners.
We can’t wait to see the fruits of this new wave of collaboration, especially on the Digital Government Transformation front!
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