From September 11th to 13th, 2023, the Nippon Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA), in collaboration with the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ), the German Centre for Research and Innovation Tokyo (DWIH Tokyo), Sophia University, and the European University of Applied Sciences co-hosted an international workshop titled the "The Discursive and Material Dimensions of the Digital Transformation: Perspectives from and on Japan." The participants, which included academics and policy makers from around the world, discussed the impact of robots, AI, algorithms and related technologies on society, culture, and the economy, both in the present and going forward with a particular emphasis on Japan. The work done at this workshop builds on and broadens the existing literature on the digital transformation, both in Japan and around the world.

DAY I – ROBOTS & AI
SESSION I
ENVISIONING FUTURE SOCIETIES: ROBOTS AND AI IN SCIENCE FICTION, THE LAB, AND REALITY

SPEAKERS:
JIRÉ EMINE GÖZEN
PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF EUROPE FOR APPLIED SCIENCES
GENTIANE VENTURE
PROFESSOR, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
HIROTAKA OSAWA
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, KEIO UNIVERSITY
YASHIMA YUGEN
WRITER
JAMES WRIGHT
VISITING LECTURER, QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

SESSION II 
SOCIOCULTURAL PRACTICES OF SITUATING THE SELF AND OTHER: ROBOTS WITH HEART, VIRTUAL HUMANS, AND MATTER WITH SOUL    

SPEAKERS:
CELIA SPODEN
SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, GERMAN INSTITUTE FOR JAPANESE STUDIES (DIJ)
DANIEL WHITE
SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
KERRY MCINERNEY
RESEARCH FELLOW, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
KOJIRO HONDA
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, KANAZAWA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
CHIHYUNG JEON
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

KEYNOTE SPEECH
REDISCOVERING ‘GLOCAL’ CULTURAL RESOURCES FOR THE DIGITAL FUTURE
COUNTER-DANCING DIGITALITY! PRACTICING COMMONISTIC COOPERATIVITY

SPEAKERS:
SHOKO SUZUKI
PROFESSOR EMERITUS, KYOTO UNIVERSITY
SHINTARO MIYAZAKI
JUNIOR PROFESSOR, HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITÄT ZU BERLIN


DAY II – DATA & INFRASTRUCTURES
SESSION III
ALGORITHMS, DATA, AND THE IN-BETWEEN: FASHION CULTURE AND TRANSNATIONAL SCIENCE

SPEAKERS:
HARALD KÜMMERLE
SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, GERMAN INSTITUTE FOR JAPANESE STUDIES (DIJ)
REBECCA CARLSON
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, TOYO UNIVERSITY
TOBIAS MATZNER
PROFESSOR, PADERBORN UNIVERSITY

SESSION IV
DATA POLICY AND AGILE GOVERNANCE

SPEAKERS:
NORIYUKI YANAGAWA
PROFESSOR, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO / EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, NIRA
CHIZURU SUGA
DIRECTOR, MINISTRY OF ECONOMY, TRADE AND INDUSTRY (METI)
MASAKAZU MASUJIMA
ATTORNEY AND PARTNER, MORI HAMADA AND MATSUMOTO
TATSUHIKO INATANI
PROFESSOR, KYOTO UNIVERSITY

DAY III – CROSS-TOPIC WORKING GROUPS (NOT PUBLIC)