CHICAGO, Nov. 21, 2023 — The American Bar Association Antitrust Law Section will convene another session of its Global Seminar Series, bringing together a group of distinguished speakers in Tokyo on Nov. 29 to focus on cutting edge issues regarding the role of artificial intelligence and big data in competition law and policy.
What:
Global Seminar Series
Sponsored by the ABA Antitrust Law Section
When:
Wednesday, Nov. 29 (in person only)
Where:
Tekko Executive Lounge & Conference Rooms | 1-8-2 Marunouchi, Tekko Building South Tower, 4th Floor
Tokyo, Japan
The keynote address will be delivered by Kazuyuki Furuya, chair of the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC). Furuya, who will speak from 9:15-9:30 a.m., earlier this year won his second term to lead the country’s antitrust regulator. He joined the Ministry of Finance in 1978 and has served in various positions at the ministry since then.
The program includes several individual discussions with enforcers during the day (all times are Japan Standard Time):
- “ESG/Sustainability” — Corporations are increasingly focused on environmental, social and governance (ESI) principles, including participating in industry collaborations and engaging with government agencies to advance ESI goals. While the spirit of these efforts may be positive, they can test the antitrust laws and present risk for participants. The panel will discuss how ESI efforts can create competition issues and how enforcers are balancing the benefits of ESI efforts with the potential impact on competition.
9:30-10:30 a.m.
- “Enforcer Highlight” — Yusuke Takamiya of Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, Tokyo, will interview Kenta Suzuki, senior planning officer, JTFC Economic Affairs Bureau, Tokyo.
10:30-10:50 a.m. - “Merger Developments” — Several jurisdictions now have merger control regimes with potential reporting requirements, thus making the merger filing process more burdensome and creating greater cost and risk for transacting parties. In the U.S. and elsewhere, meaningful changes in merger enforcement policy and practice are emerging. The panel will review these developments and discuss what practitioners can do to navigate the increasingly complex merger filing process.
11:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m. - “Enforcer Highlight” — Stephen Wu of Lee & Li, Taipei will interview Chih-Min (Andy) Chen, vice-chairperson, Taiwan Fair Trade Commission, Taipei.
12:10-12:30 p.m. - “Digital Economy” — Antitrust has been dominated in recent years by news of enforcers' focus on large tech platforms. And most recently, regulators and lawmakers are grappling with the antitrust and other implications of artificial intelligence, and how it will shape competition enforcement in the years to come. These developments have implications not just for large tech companies, but for antitrust policy and enforcement generally. The panel will review the state of play and developments in the U.S. and Asia and provide insights into what may be coming.
1:30-2:25 p.m. - “Enforcer Highlight” — Youngjin Jung of Kim & Chang, Seoul, will interview Young Keun Choi, president, Korea Fair Trade Mediation Agency, Seoul.
2:25 2:45 p.m. - “Hot Topics” — A panel of lawyers from Asia, Australia and the U.S. will review several key issues and developments in the world of competition law, including cartel enforcement and the intersection of antitrust and labor markets.
2:45-3:40 p.m. - “Enforcers Panel” — Fiona A. Schaeffer, Milbank LLP, New York, and chair of the Antitrust Law Section, leads a discussion with three regulators: Chih-Min (Andy) Chen, vice-chairperson, Taiwan Fair Trade Commission, Taipei; Young Keun Choi, president, Korea Fair Trade Mediation Agency, Seoul; and Tetsuya Fujimoto, secretary general, Japan Fair Trade Commission, Tokyo.
4-5 p.m.
Click for here for the full agenda and here for program speakers. Media are welcome to attend but must register in advance by 5 p.m. EST Monday, Nov. 27, by emailing [email protected]. The ABA Antitrust Law Section reserves the right to limit the number of media per organization based on availability of seating.
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