TOKYO/LONDON -- Japan and the U.K. have agreed to advanced digital standards in their upcoming bilateral trade deal, banning them from forcing companies to disclose algorithms and set up local data servers.
Expected to take effect in early 2021, after the end of the Brexit transition period, the trade pact will mark a key step toward creating an international framework that protects intellectual property and the free flow of data. Such countries as Japan and the U.S. support digital protections, while others, like China, are strengthening controls in their online environments.
