Hitachi to Present Latest Security Technologies Essential for AI Utilization at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Japan 2026

Image: Hitachi's participation at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Japan 2025

Hitachi, Ltd. (hereinafter, Hitachi) will present its latest initiatives on security technologies essential for AI utilization at 'KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Japan 2026' (hereinafter, this event), to be held at Pacifico Yokohama from July 28 (Tue) to 30 (Thu). This event is the flagship conference hosted by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), a non-profit organization leading the global development and adoption of cloud-native technologies. Recognized for its contributions to global OSS communities, Hitachi will deliver four sessions—the most among Japanese companies—and participate as a Platinum Sponsor, showcasing AI agent integration solutions at its exhibition booth. Additionally, on July 28 (Tue), Hitachi will sponsor co-located events as a Diamond Sponsor for 'KeycloakCon Japan' and a Platinum Sponsor for 'Japan Community Day.' At these events, Hitachi will explain secure data integration for AI agents using Keycloak*¹ and the Model Context Protocol (hereinafter, MCP*²).

This event, gathering open-source technologists from around the world, welcomes not only community members but also enterprise users leveraging cloud-native technologies for business transformation. We look forward to your participation.

Registration: https://events.linuxfoundation.org/kubecon-cloudnativecon-japan/

With the rapid business adoption of generative AI and AI agents, enhanced security measures are required to prevent data leaks and unauthorized access. To address these challenges, Hitachi will explain cutting-edge initiatives necessary for safe and trustworthy cloud security in the AI era, including access control via MCP and practical guidelines and standard interfaces for secure authentication (AuthN) and authorization (AuthZ) in cloud-native environments.

As a CNCF member, Hitachi has placed employees in key roles such as the Governing Board*³ and Tech Lead of the TAG (Technical Advisory Groups) Security and Compliance*⁴, leading the governance of global OSS communities. Particularly in Keycloak, Hitachi acts as a core maintainer driving the development of key features, strongly supporting enterprises’ secure digital transformation (DX) from a technical standpoint. For more details on Hitachi’s CNCF activities, please refer to the link below.

・Hitachi's Activities in Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF)

https://www.hitachi.co.jp/products/it/harmonious/cloud/articles/cncf/?ni=260713

*1 Keycloak: Open-source software (OSS) that enables identity and access management (IAM)

*2 MCP: Open protocol for standardizing connections between LLM applications and external data sources or tools

*3 Announcement: 'Hitachi’s Head of OSPO Appointed to Governing Board of Cloud Native Computing Foundation' (February 28, 2025)

*4 Announcement: 'Hitachi Employee Appointed as Inaugural Tech Lead for TAG Security and Compliance at Cloud Native Computing Foundation' (August 7, 2025)

Hitachi Sessions at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Japan 2026

＜Date and Time＞ July 30 (Thu), 09:57–10:07

＜Session Type, Title, and Overview＞

Keynote Navigating the Identity Abyss in the AI-Native Era

The arrival of the AI-native era has brought identity management face-to-face with new technical challenges, likened to a bottomless abyss. Nakamura, Hitachi’s Head of OSPO, serving as a CNCF Governing Board member and Co-Chair of this event, will introduce the practical guideline 'CNCF IAM Whitepaper' for building identity infrastructure and the leading IAM solution Keycloak. He will explain the journey so far and future outlook for secure identity management in the AI era.

＜Hitachi Speaker＞

Yuichi Nakamura

＜Date and Time＞ July 29 (Wed), 15:50–16:20

＜Session Type, Title, and Overview＞

Co-located Session: Maintainer Track Identities and Authentication for your Agents with Keycloak

Norimatsu, a Keycloak maintainer, will explain identity and authentication for AI agents using Keycloak. He will introduce the authorization mechanisms in the AI agent integration protocol MCP, incorporating differences in Keycloak features and MCP versions. Additionally, he will demonstrate a live setup and usage of Keycloak as an authorization server for AI agents.

＜Hitachi Speaker＞

Takashi Norimatsu

＜Date and Time＞ July 30 (Thu), 14:10–14:40

＜Session Type, Title, and Overview＞

Co-located Session: Maintainer Track Behind the CNCF IAM Whitepaper: AuthN & AuthZ in Cloud Native Systems

Tabata, Tech Lead of the CNCF TAG Security and Compliance, will explain the 'CNCF IAM Whitepaper'—a practical guideline on authentication (AuthN) and authorization (AuthZ) in cloud-native systems—published by the TAG in March 2026. He will share insights for architects and developers to use this whitepaper as a common benchmark in designing and evolving secure systems.

＜Date and Time＞ July 30 (Thu), 16:30–17:00

＜Session Type, Title, and Overview＞

Session: Security AuthZEN in Practice: Standardizing Authorization for Cloud Native Platforms and Agents

As AI agents increasingly access APIs and infrastructure in cloud-native environments, Hitachi will explain the fundamental concepts of the standard interface for security (authorization), 'AuthZEN Authorization API 1.0.' Through a Keycloak-based demonstration, the session will showcase the entire flow from token issuance to policy enforcement, contributing to the cloud-native ecosystem.