“T-Systems and NTT Communications Collaborate to Launch Dataspace Test Environment in Japan”
Deutsche Telekom’s IT subsidiary, T-Systems, and NTT Communications, two global leaders in telecommunications, have partnered to create a dataspace test environment in Japan. This initiative aims to advance data ecosystems in Japan and promote interoperability between Japan and Europe. The first dataspace sandbox development environment will be powered by open-source software from Eclipse Foundation projects, such as Tractus-X and Eclipse Dataspace Components, which are used by key data ecosystem initiatives like Catena-X in the automotive industry.
Joint Efforts to Ensure Data Sovereignty
Both T-Systems and NTT Communications actively participate in dataspace-related communities in Europe, including Gaia-X, the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA), and the Catena-X Association. T-Systems is a founding member of Gaia-X and has been the first to operate a Gaia-X Digital Clearing House, playing a critical role in the development of Tractus-X software. NTT Communications has also contributed by facilitating discussions on the internationalization of trusted dataspaces, demonstrating the potential for interoperability between Japan and Europe. As neutral, trusted providers of secure data exchange, they aim to support global supply chains while ensuring data sovereignty and privacy.
Accelerating Data Ecosystem Development in Japan
T-Systems will introduce its Living Lab product—a dataspace-as-a-service development platform—to serve as the sandbox environment for Japanese organizations, universities, and companies. This sandbox will be hosted on cloud infrastructure in Germany and accessed through NTT Communications’ international testbed in Japan. The collaboration will accelerate proof-of-concept initiatives in various verticals, enabling seamless data exchange across industries. By Q3 2024, T-Systems will provide the first Living Lab sandbox to prominent Japanese organizations, including the University of Tokyo, Keio University, Fujitsu, and OMRON, to test interoperability with their own testbeds and increase the adoption of dataspaces in Japan.
Towards Global Trusted Dataspaces
In late 2024, T-Systems and NTT Communications will conduct joint tests to confirm the interoperability between European and Japanese dataspaces. These tests will cover key federated services, such as identity management, data transfer, and service discovery, connecting sandboxes hosted in Germany and Japan. The collaboration will also work with Gaia-X to integrate Digital Clearing House Services, testing mutual recognition of trust anchors between the regions. The project aims to simplify the onboarding process for developers and data providers, especially in ecosystems like Catena-X.
The initiative will be showcased at the Data Spaces Discovery Day Tokyo 2024 on October 9, marking a major step towards establishing a multi-regional, trusted data infrastructure for Japan, Europe, and beyond.
