Preemptive cybersecurity laws enforced in Japan amid rising threats
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Laws enabling preemptive cybersecurity measures aimed at neutralizing hostile servers came into force in Japan on Thursday to address
On Thursday, Japan enacted preemptive cybersecurity laws to counter increasing cyberattack threats before they can inflict damage. These laws, which took effect in May of the previous year, empower police and the Self-Defense Forces to access vulnerable servers in order to prevent cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure such as power plants and railways. Operators of such key infrastructure will now be required to inform the government of any cyber breaches.
In a recent statement on social media, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed support for the addition of neutralization measures, stating that they would enable the country to respond more effectively to cyberattacks. If notified of a cyberattack or an imminent one by relevant businesses, the government will consider authorization of neutralization measures through the National Security Council, if necessary.
The Japan Active Cyber Defense Oversight Commission, an independent entity led by former chief of the Sapporo High Court Hiroko Kondo, will ultimately grant consent for preemptive actions. This body was established to ensure the appropriate use of communication data and implementation of remote access and neutralization measures.
The Japanese government intends to initiate full-scale measures to continuously monitor communications by 2027, with the goal of elevating its cyber defense capabilities to match those of other major nations.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
