Details of a Researcher - Watai, Rikako

Watai, Rikako

写真a

Affiliation: Law School (Mita)

Position: Professor

E-mail Address

Related Websites

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Career 【 Display / hide 】

2008.04

-

Present

慶應義塾大学, 大学院法務研究科, 教授
2020.01

-

2025.03

University of Washington, School of Law, Affiliate Professor
2013.09

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2014.06

Columbia Law School, Visiting Scholar
2014.09

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2015.03

London School of Economics and Political Science, Faculty of Law, Visiting Scholar
2022.04

-

2023.03

東京大学大学院法学政治学研究科, 客員研究員

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Academic Background 【 Display / hide 】

1985

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1989

Keio University, 法学部, 法律学科

Graduated, Other
1989

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1991

Keio University, 大学院法学研究科

Completed, Master's course
1992

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1993

Harvard Law School, Master of Laws

Completed, Master's course
1991

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1995

Keio University, 大学院法学研究科

Withdrawal after completion of doctoral course requirements, Doctoral course
2004

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2008

University of Tsukuba, 大学院ビジネス科学研究科後期博士課程, 企業法学専攻

Completed, Doctoral course

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Academic Degrees 【 Display / hide 】

博士（法学）, University of Tsukuba, Coursework

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Licenses and Qualifications 【 Display / hide 】

Admitted to the New York Bar, 1994.09

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Research Areas 【 Display / hide 】

Humanities & Social Sciences / Public law (行政法)

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Research Keywords 【 Display / hide 】

行政法
対内直接投資規制（日米比較）
外国為替及び外国貿易法
経済安全保障

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Books 【 Display / hide 】

経済安全保障と対内直接投資　ーアメリカにおける規制の変遷と日本の動向ー

渡井理佳子, 信山社出版株式会社, 2023.08, Page： 232
Digital Trade and Economic Security: Considerations on the Japan-US Digital Trade Agreement

Rikako Watai, Chapter 25 (pp. 439-454) in David Collins & Michael Geist Eds., RESEARCH HANDBOOK ON DIGITAL TRADE (Elgar Publishing) , Elgar Publishing, 2023.10
- Access to Document (DOI)

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Papers 【 Display / hide 】

Japan's Response to the Trade Conflict Between the United States and China

Washington International Law Journal 2024.10
Digital Trade and National Security Exceptions

Watai R.

International Trade Law and Regulation (International Trade Law and Regulation) 27 ( 2 ) 119 - 128 2021

ISSN 13573136

　View Summary

In January 2019, the then Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, proposed the idea of “Data Free Flow with Trust” (DFFT) in a speech at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. The US-Japan Digital Trade Agreement, which reflects the digital chapters of the Transpacific Partnership Agreement, became effective on 1 January 2020. The Agreement is part of the effort to realise DFFT and provides guidelines on cross-border data flows. While it is important to ensure freedom of business activities, regulating the flow of data to safeguard legally protected interests is also justifiable. Article 4 of the Agreement provides for national security exceptions. What national security means has not been defined by the World Trade Organization or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development , nor in the laws of the United States and Japan. Thus attempts to regulate digital trade based on national security are fraught with ambiguity and varying interpretations in both countries. Although fifth-generation mobile communications standards will soon be implemented, control of digital trade has just begun. Issues ahead include legal clarity about balancing national security with the free flow of data. DFFT is a matter of securing rights for citizens and security for states. If national security is cited as a reason for restricting the flow of data or right to access it, there should be no abuse of discretion.