Digital Garage Hosts THE NEW CONTEXT CONFERENCE 2023 Spring Under the Theme of "web3 Japan Summit in San Francisco"

Japan and the U.S. Collaborate to Build the Foundation for the web3 Industry at "DG717"

TOKYO, March 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Garage, Inc. (DG) and DG Lab*1, an open innovation R&D organization, will host THE NEW CONTEXT CONFERENCE 2023 Spring (NCC 2023 Spring), a conference to discuss "new context" for a digital society, in San Francisco on April 7, 2023.

This conference is designed for those interested in exploring cutting-edge Internet technologies and the businesses that emerge around them. To prepare a value-based society globally, it focuses on "new contexts" that contribute to the development of society and is intended to deepen understanding through discussions between experts and participants. This will be the twenty-fourth conference since the first one was held in 2005.

NCC 2023 Spring will be hosted by the co-founders of DG, who have been at the forefront of the Internet since its initial stage at "Digital Garage @ 717 Market Street"^*2 in San Francisco. As regulators worldwide are growing wary of crypto-assets, Japan is actively embracing web3 for social impact. We will explore the current state of the web3 ecosystem in Japan and offer insights into opportunities for global startups seeking to expand to Japan. This NCC will bring together top minds, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to share insights on regulatory policies, market trends, and business opportunities in Japan's rapidly evolving web3 space. 

Our guests include Evan Cheng, Co-Founder and CEO of Mysten Labs, which is developing the Layer 1 blockchain, Sui; Yoshiro Tasaka, Director of the global strategy division of Shibuya City Office; Michelle Huang, Founder of akiyaDAO, which focuses on the issue of vacant houses in Japan; and Maika Isogawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Webacy, a web3 startup in San Francisco. We will also invite people leading the way in the next-generation technology.

【Event outline】
Date and time: April 7 (Friday), 2023, 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (PST)
Venue: Digital Garage @ 717 Market Street (717 Market Street, San Francisco, USA) 
Organizer: Digital Garage, Inc.
Co-organizer: DG Lab
Collaboration partner: DG717, Digital Architecture Lab*3
Official website: https://ncc.garage.co.jp/2023spring/
Participation: Free
Please register on Eventbrite (https://ncc2023sfspring.eventbrite.com).

*The information of speakers and programs will be updated on the official website as needed.
*This information is current as of the date of the announcement. Program contents and speaker information are subject to change. Please be forewarned.

【Agenda】
Session1：web3 Infrastructure
We will delve into the technical foundations of web3 in Japan and explore the role of Japan in shaping the future of web3 infrastructure.

Session2：web3 Law and Regulations 
We will provide insights from legal experts on the regulatory landscape for web3 in Japan, and offer insights for web3 entrepreneurs on navigating the legal landscape and identifying opportunities in the region.

Session3：Collaborating with Japan
Government officials and representatives from leading Japanese corporations will present their ideas for collaboration with web3 startups.

Session4：web3 Communities and Contents
We will highlight the emergence of regional web3 communities and content in Japan, and explore the opportunities and challenges that arise.

*1: An open innovation research organization operated by Digital Garage, Inc., Kakaku.com, and KDDI Corporation with the aim of creating new businesses. (https://www.dglab.com/)
*2: DG717 is an incubation center established by DG in 2013 on Market Street in San Francisco for the purpose of supporting startups. (https://dg717.com/)
*3: Digital Architecture Lab is a research organization established by Digital Garage to design and promote the implementation of next-generation social structures driven by the evolution of technology in 2022. (https://dalab.xyz/)

【Speakers】

Evan Chen
Co-Founder and CEO, Mysten Labs

Evan is the winner of the prestigious 2012 ACM Software System Award. He has an extensive background in platform development, with more than 25 years of building developer-facing technology and leading engineering teams at companies such as Apple and Facebook. Prior to founding Mysten Labs, he led the Novi Research at Meta developing cutting-edge blockchain technologies. In addition to his expertise in research and development, he is a Web 3.0 advocate and entrepreneur.

Yasushi Noguchi
Consul-General, Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco

Education: Bachelor of Laws, Kyoto University, March 1990

Career in Outline:
April 1990 Joined MOFA (Spanish Language Program)
August 2003 First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in the U.S.A.
August 2005 First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Peru
January 2007 Counsellor, Embassy of Japan in Peru
August 2007 Deputy Secretary General, Secretariat of Preparation for G8Summit, MOFA
August 2008 Director, Inspection Division, Minister's Secretariat, MOFA
July 2009 Director, International Peace Cooperation Division,Foreign Policy Bureau, MOFA
December 2009 Programs Coordination Officer, National Policy Unit,Cabinet Secretariat
April 2010 Counsellor, National Policy Unit, Cabinet Secretariat March 2011 Counsellor, Secretariat of Special Response Headquarters
for Supporting Livelihood of Disaster Victims for Great East Japan Earthquake 2011 (Prime Minister's Office)
August 2011 Director, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean Division, Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau,MOFA
August 2013 Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Division,Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department,Foreign Policy Bureau, MOFA
September 2015 Chief of Miyazaki Prefectural Police Headquarters
September 2017 Consul-General, Consulate-General of Japan in Sao Paulo
August 2020 Director General for International Affairs, Bureau of
Defense Policy, Ministry of Defense (MOD)
August 2022 Consul-General, Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco

Michelle Huang
Founder, akiya DAO / Mixed-media digital artist

Michelle Huang is the Founder of akiya DAO and a mixed-media digital artist focused on creating immersive experiences and exploring technologies related to human flourishing. akiya DAO is a community-driven project to purchase and renovate a 250-year-old home in Japan into an omni-maker space to house creative residences. Previously, she worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs, then in product at a unicorn startup in SF, before transitioning to a full-time creative via a sabbatical. Her work has been featured on Business Insider, NPR (National Public Radio), Vox Media (Now This), ABC, CNET, The Independent, BBC, and more.

Kai Chen
Founder and CEO, Parasol

Kai is a Canadian computer programmer and serial entrepreneur. He is currently Co-Founder and CEO of Parasol, a web3 R&D lab that systematically launches protocols and services that aim to radically improve the internet.

Previously, he built operating systems at Meta that powered the Quest VR headset line. He was a researcher at the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) where he designed and deployed software for internet censorship circumvention. He also lectured at the Berkeley School of Information, examining the social dimensions of digital technologies, surveillance capitalism and internet communities. He completed a BA in computer science and mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley where he was the founder of the Open Access Initiative.

Maika Isogawa
Co-Founder and CEO, Webacy

Maika is the Co-Founder and CEO of Webacy - the protection layer for self-custody. Webacy develops tools and services to make self-custody safer and easier. Webacy is strictly non-custodial and no-access (no seed phrases, private keys, or passwords) and is backed by some of the biggest names in blockchain. She is also a former professional acrobat and performer for the Cirque du Soleil brand of shows. She attended Stanford University and is a Forbes 30 Under 30 lister.

Akihisa Shiozaki
Member of the House of Representatives

Akihisa Shiozaki serves as Member of Japan's House of Representatives, and is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, representing District No. 1 of the Ehime prefecture. He currently serves as the Secretary General of the party's "web3 Project Team".

Previously Akihisa was widely recognized as an expert attorney in corporate crisis management, including regulatory investigations, white color defense, product recall, labor/employment disputes, import/export control, media interaction and various corporate governance issues, especially those with multi-jurisdictional or parallel civil and criminal components. In recent years, he has advised both domestic and foreign clients in resolving a number of the most high profile corporate crises cases relating to Japan, including the LIBOR/TIBOR manipulation investigation, FX manipulation investigation, global product recall by a Japan auto-parts manufacturer, international trade secret theft in the semiconductor industry, government investigations against a global pharmaceutical corporation operating in Japan, and his representation of the former CEO of Olympus Corporation who brought light to the company's recent accounting scandal. In 2017, he was awarded the Compliance / Investigations Lawyer of the Year at the Asian Legal Awards hosted by The American Lawyer, in association with The Asian Lawyer, China Law & Practice and Legal Week. He worked in the Prime Minister's office as senior policy advisor from 2006 to 2007 and is knowledgeable in Japanese regulations /rules and governmental procedures, as well as having rich experience dealing with the media. He also serves as the vice-chairman of the Anti-Yakuza Committee at the Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association and has authored many related publications. He graduated from the University of Tokyo (LL.B.), holds an M.A. in international policy from Stanford University, and completed his MBA at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he served as class president.

Yoshiro Tasaka
Director of the global strategy division, Shibuya City Office

Yoshiro Tasaka is the director of the global strategy division at Shibuya City Office. He was previously the Vice President of Landlog, a construction tech company. He also spent 9 years in San Francisco as a special advisor for the Consul General of Japan in San Francisco. In January 2020, he was appointed to the current position by Mayor Hasebe. His role is to make Shibuya a global startup ecosystem city.

Yumi Baba
Representative of the Financial Services Agency of Japan in Silicon Valley

Yumi Baba is a Representative of the Financial Services Agency in Silicon Valley, working closely with Fintech and Innovation Office from San Francisco. Her mission is to promote Fintech industry in Japan and to assist foreign Fintech firms to enter Japanese market from a regulatory standpoint. She has worked in various positions in the public sector, including at the IMF in Washington D.C. and the Ministry of Finance in Japan, and her extensive career spans across multiple roles in banking and insurance supervisory positions. She graduated from the University of Tokyo and holds an MBA from London Business School.

Kiyo
Co-Founder and CEO, Noxx

Kiyo is Co-Founder and CEO of Noxx, a payroll and compliance tool for a pseudonymous talent. He also founded one of the largest web3 social DAOs in Japan with 8K+ members. In addition, he was the Co-Founder and CEO of Nobot, the 2nd largest mobile ad network in Japan. He has invested in 40+ startups and VCs including crypto funds.

Waka Itagaki
Deputy Director, Web3.0 Policy Office, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Waka Itagaki is a Deputy Director of Web3.0 Policy Office at Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). She is working on the improvement of Web3.0 business environment in Japan and passionate about supporting socially impactful technology-driven businesses in Japan and beyond. She has over 6 years of experience in policy making, digital transformation, social innovation and international cooperation. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Tokyo.

SOURCE Digital Garage, Inc.

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