NRI's EDC connector⁴ (the software which connects to dataspaces and exchanges data) was correctly implemented in accordance with the specifications as software that ensures appropriate data integration between Catena-X participating organizations, which led to the certification.

NRI's EDC connector for achieving data sovereignty

Many European dataspaces are premised on the idea of "data sovereignty," which means that data owners have the right to control and manage their own data. In other words, the provider specifies requirements for data handling, and data is transmitted between the two parties on the condition that the user (consumer) complies with these requirements.

This data linkage management is strictly carried out using a function called Usage Control. NRI's EDC Connector also incorporates this data usage control function, and was evaluated as accurately implementing the design concept of data sovereignty⁵ in Europe.

NRI's goal of solving social issues and the significance of obtaining Catena-X certification

NRI aims to contribute to solving major social issues toward Society 5.0⁶, which is advocated by the Japanese government, by realizing CN and CE, and by improving the lifecycle management of social systems (from design and construction to production and operation, and recycling and disposal). NRI strongly supports the European initiative to develop a data sharing infrastructure in various industries for these purposes and has promoted the acquisition of Catena-X certification.

Catena-X aims, first, to comply with European laws and regulations related to the automotive industry, especially the European Battery Regulation. The European Battery Regulation⁷ aims to manage the entire lifecycle of batteries installed in electric vehicles ("EVs") introduced in the European market, from production to reuse and disposal, and ensure the safety and sustainability of batteries. In the future, it will be required to issue a battery passport for batteries installed in EVs. This battery passport will include information such as the mine where the raw materials were extracted and the raw material composition ratio, as well as the CO₂ emitted during the manufacturing process. The key here is "data sovereignty." For battery manufacturers, information such as the composition and ratio of raw materials is a trade secret and they do not want to disclose it to their competitors. However, recyclers need this information. Catena-X meets the needs of both parties with its data sharing platform.

Through verification and customer support for compliance with European battery regulations, which will be implemented in stages in the future, NRI will not only contribute to the realization of CN and CE in the automotive industry, but also contribute to the creation of data sharing mechanisms in industry, which have already begun in Japan, and work towards the realization of Society 5.0.

Comment from Ms. Anja Misselbeck, Managing Director of the Catena-X Automotive Network

We are honored to welcome Nomura Research Institute to the Catena-X ecosystem and look forward to fostering our collaboration on an international scale. The inclusion of Japanese partners such as NRI demonstrates that our data space has global relevance and can be applied across industries. Together, we will continue to shape truly global standards and drive the digital transformation of the global automotive industry. （Please refer to Catena-X website⁸ for the full text.）

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  Catena-X Certification：This certification is in the Data Provider & Consumer Service field. Other fields include app development.

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  Catena-X：For more information, please visit the following URL:
  Column July 2022 “The impact of GAIA-X and Catena-X: The rise of a huge ecosystem through data integration” Naoaki Fujino
  https://www.nri.com/jp/media/column/fujino/20220727_1.html

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  Dataspace：A space on a computer or network for data collaboration and sharing between companies and organizations.
  For more information, please see the following URL:
  Column March 2024:”Data sovereignty in the EU dataspaces” Shinichiro Otsuka
  https://www.nri.com/jp/media/column/technical_engineer/20240329_1.html

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  EDC Connector：Eclipse Dataspace Components Connector. For more information, please visit the following URL.
  https://catena-x.net/en/offers/edc-the-central-component

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  Data sovereignty：For more information, please visit the following URL
  Intellectual Asset Creation May 2023 issue "Data sovereignty" contributes to solving digital social issues" Jun Odashima
  https://www.nri.com/jp/knowledge/publication/chitekishisan_202305/01.html

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  Society 5.0：The Japanese government's vision for the future society that Japan should aim for. A human-centered vision of a society that balances economic development with the resolution of social issues. For more information, please see the following URL.
  https://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/society5_0/index.html

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  European Battery Regulation：A regulation that aims to use data to manage all processes, from the procurement of raw materials, production, and recycling, of batteries handled within Europe, enabling the supply of sustainable products. For the original text, please see the following URL.
  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32023R1542

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  Catena-X website：https://catena-x.net/en/news-dates