About Nat Sakimura

Nat Sakimura (Nat Sakimura)

Chairman, OpenID Foundation

Overview

Specializing in international standardization for digital identity and privacy, he has authored a series of related international standards used by more than 3 billion people worldwide, as well as “Digital Identity” (2021, Nikkei BP). He has served as Chairman of the U.S.-based OpenID Foundation since 2011, Chairman of MyData Japan since 2019, Representative of NAT Consulting since 2020, and Digital Special Advisor to the Japan Fair Trade Commission since 2021. Standards to which he has contributed as an author or editor include JWT, JWS, OAuth PKCE, OpenID Connect, FAPI, ISO/IEC 29100 Privacy framework, and ISO/IEC 29184 Online privacy notice and consent.
He chairs the Japanese mirror committee of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27 “Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection” and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 44 “Consumer protection in the field of privacy by design”. He is a member of the OECD Internet Technical Advisory Committee and has participated in numerous government study groups.

Positions

• Representative, NAT Consulting LLC (2020-)
• Member, NHK Central Broadcasting Program Council (2022-)
• Digital Special Advisor, Japan Fair Trade Commission (2021-) [Nikkei article, Japan Fair Trade Commission announcement]
• Chair, SC 27 Technical Committee, Information Processing Society of Japan Information Standards Committee (2024-)
• Outside Director, Authlete, Inc. (2023 -)
• Digital Identity Advisor, PwC Japan Group (2023 -)
• Visiting Researcher, Japan Institute for Promotion of Digital Economy and Community (2020-)
• Chairman, MyData Japan (2019 -)
• Advisor, Japan Payment Service Association (2019 -)
• Advisor, Fintech Association of Japan (2020 -)
• Chair, Information Bank Certification Subcommittee, Information Bank Promotion Committee, Japan IT Federation (2018-)
• Member, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27/Management Advisory Committee (2018 – 2019)
• Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Information Law and Policy (2016 -)
• Member, OECD Internet Technical Advisory Committee (ITAC) (2014-)
• Privacy by Design Ambassador (2014-) (the 2nd Japanese appointee)
• Chairman, OpenID Foundation (2011-)

Other Experience

• Member, Study Group on Platform Services, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (2018-2024)
• Chair, Japanese National Committee for ISO/PC317 Consumer Protection: Privacy by Design for Consumer Goods and Services
• Convenor, SC 27/WG 5 Subcommittee, Information Processing Society of Japan Information Standards Committee (2011-2024)
• Member, Data Distribution Promotion Working Group, Japan Institute for Promotion of Digital Economy and Community (2020-2023)
• Member, Study Group on Competition Policy in Digital Markets, Japan Fair Trade Commission (2020-2021)
• Member, Standardization Strategy Working Group, Technology Strategy Committee, Information and Communications Technology Subcommittee, Information and Communications Council, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (2019)
• Member, Expert Meeting on HL7 FHIR, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (2019)
• Board Member, Kantara Initiative (2009-2016)
• Board Member, Japan Society for Value-Creating ERM (2008-)
• Senior Researcher, Nomura Research Institute (-2020)
• Executive Partner and Chief Researcher, Tokyo Digital Ideas Corporation (2020-2024)
• Adjunct Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Niigata University (2013)
• Chair, Joint Public-Private Study Group on an International Anti-Counterfeiting Framework (2012-2014)
• Member, Advisory Council, Japan Institute for Promotion of Digital Economy and Community (2012-14)
• Lecturer, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Study Group on the Use and Distribution of Personal Data (2012)
• Member, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Personal Data Working Group (2012)
• Board Member, Open Identity Exchange (2011)
• Member, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Working Group on Private-Sector Use of the Numbering System (2011)
• Member, Japan Institute for Promotion of Digital Economy and Community Study Group on Social Systems and Infrastructure for Secure and Trustworthy Personal Information Management (2011)
• Cabinet Secretariat: Numbering System for Social Security and Taxation > Information-Linkage Infrastructure Technology Working Group (2011)
• Member, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications E-Government Promotion Working Group (2010) [Draft report]
• Member, Applications and Authentication Working Group, Japanese National Committee for ITU-T SG17, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (2010)
• Project Advisor, Open Government Lab, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (2010)
• IDDY Award Jury (2009-2010)
• OpenID Foundation Community Board Member (2008-)
• Vice Chair, XDI.org (2004-2012)
• Adjunct Lecturer, Tokyo Institute of Technology (1998-1999)

Publications

• Matsuo, Sakimura, et al. (2024). “Unresolved Issues of Web3.” Nikkei BP.
• Sakimura, et al. (2021). RFC9101 The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework: JWT-Secured Authorization Request (JAR). IETF
• Sakimura, et al. (2021). Financial-grade API Security Profile — Part2: Advanced. OpenID Foundation.
• Sakimura, et al. (2021). Financial-grade API Security Profile — Part1: Baseline. OpenID Foundation.
• Nat Sakimura. (2021). “Digital Identity.” Nikkei BP.
• Matsuo, Sakimura. (2021) Blockchain Gaps. Springer
• Sakimura, “The Idea That Blockchain Is Trustless Is an Illusion” (2016), in Matsuo et al., “Unresolved Issues in Blockchain Technology” (2018), Chapter 5, Nikkei BP.
• Hokino, Fujiki, Onda, Kaneko, Sakimura, Sato. (2015). A Practical Trust Framework: Assurance Levels Repackaged Through Analysis of Business Scenarios and Related Risks, Security Standardisation Research, Second International Conference, SSR 2015, LNCS 9497, Springer, Tokyo, Japan, December 15-16, 2015, Proceedings, Springer (P203-217)
• Nomura Institute of Capital Markets Research, “Potential Uses of My Number” Study Group, edited by Shigeki Morinobu. (2015). “My Number: Opening the Way to the Future”, Chuokeizai-sha.
• Jones, Sakimura. (2015). RFC7638 – JWK Thumbprint. IETF.
• Sakimura, Bradley, Agawaal. (2015). RFC7636 – OAuth Proof Code for Code Exchange (PKCE). IETF.
• Sakimura. (2015). “Traceability Requirements for Personal Information.” Knowledge Creation and Integration. Nomura Research Institute.
• Jones, Bradley, Sakimura. (2015). RFC7515 – JSON Web Signature. IETF.
• Jones, Bradley, Sakimura. (2015). RFC7519 – JSON Web Token. IETF.
• Ito, Yasuoka, Tomita, Sakimura.  (2011). “Strategy for Using Private-Sector Platforms to Promote Open Government.” Knowledge Creation and Integration. Nomura Research Institute.
• Sakimura, Jones, Bradley, de Madeiros, et al. (2014) . OpenID Connect. OpenID Foundation
• Sakimura. (2011). “An Unfeeling Society and the Numbering System: The Dangers of Record Linkage as Seen in Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables” Gijutsu-Hyoron Co.
• Sakimura, “National ID Systems and Trust Frameworks: From the Perspective of Internet Identity and Privacy Protection” (2010), Masao Horibe Law Study Group.
• Ohashi, Sakimura, Sakushima, Hori. (2010). On the Substantial Study of Proxing Assurance between OpenID and SAML. Springer, Communications in Computer and Information Sciences 109.
• Yasuoka, Sakimura, et al. “The ID Business in 2015: From Vending Machines to Public Authentication with 1 Card” (2009), Toyo Keizai Inc.
• Jones, Recordon, Bradley, Sakimura et al. (2008). OpenID Provider Authentication Property Extension. OpenID Foundation.
• Sakimura and Nagashima. (2006). “Toward the Realization of Context-Aware Services Using Mobile Phones”. Knowledge Emergence. Nomura Research Institute.
• Sakimura . (2002). “Software for Preventing Information Leaks.” Knowledge Creation and Integration. Nomura Research Institute.
• Sakimura . (1995). “The New Office Revolution”●  . Knowledge Creation and Integration, Vol. 4, No. 1. Nomura Research Institute.

Media Appearances

(I began gradually compiling a record of media appearances starting on 2024-06-02.)

• 2024-05-15. ITmedia Executive. “Digital Identity Will Determine the Future of Digital Hegemony: An Interview with Nat Sakimura of Tokyo Digital Ideas”. ITmedia.
• 2024-04-24. Yomiuri Shimbun Online. “The Digital Agency’s ‘Digital Authentication App’ Goes Astray: Risk of Online Usage Records Being Concentrated in the Government”. The Yomiuri Shimbun.
• 2024-03-30. The Yomiuri Shimbun. “The National Personal Authentication App Goes Astray: The Digital Agency’s Concept and Development”. The Yomiuri Shimbun.
• 2021-12-13. The Nikkei. “Big Tech and International Standards Development: Nat Sakimura, Chairman of the U.S.-Based OpenID Foundation”. Nikkei Inc.
• 2021-07-28. The Nikkei. “Japan Fair Trade Commission Recruits Digital Talent from the Private Sector, Including Assistance with Big Tech Investigations”. Nikkei Inc.
• 2021-07-21. Nikkei XTECH. “Identity Management, the Source of GAFA’s Strength: An Interview with a Leading Expert”. Nikkei BP.
• 2018-12-27. Nikkei Cross Trend. “What Must Be Protected Is Privacy, Not Data”. Nikkei BP.
• 2018-12-27. Nikkei Cross Trend. “Why Was the ‘Information Bank’ Called a ‘Bank’?”. Nikkei BP.
• 2014-02-05. Business + IT. “OpenID’s Nat Sakimura: The 2 Trust Frameworks Needed for Personal Data Distribution”. SB Creative Corp.

Patents