Japan to launch ‘cyber rescue team’ as wave of hacking incidents hits businesses

Tokyo, November 6 - Japan is set to announce the creation of a "cyber rescue team" today, a response to a surge in hacking incidents targeting businesses, according to media reports. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged to introduce an emergency package of measures following reports of unauthorized access to systems and potential data leaks experienced by dozens of businesses in recent weeks.

The rise of hacking attacks and data breaches globally has drawn attention, particularly due to AI's capacity to discover novel methods of breaching computer systems.

Takaichi's office has confirmed that the cabinet will convene a ministerial meeting on cybersecurity on Friday. The proposed policy package encompasses the formation of a "cyber rescue team" comprising experts from both the government and private sectors, as reported by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily, Jiji Press, and other media outlets. The government plans to establish a secretariat within the current fiscal year to manage the deployment of the rescue team during periods of heightened demand for assistance.

Additionally, a "Top Gun Talent Team" of specialists will be deployed this month to conduct simulated attacks, aiming to strengthen security, according to Jiji Press. The announced measures represent the initial step towards achieving a society that achieves the highest international standards of cyber resilience, as stated by Minoru Kihara, the top government spokesman on Thursday. Kihara did not explicitly mention the cyber rescue team while discussing these steps.

The comprehensive package aims to minimize potential damage by taking preventative actions and ensuring the team is capable of responding swiftly in case of an incident. GMO Internet Group Inc, a Japanese IT firm, reported that Chinese artificial intelligence cybersecurity tool Artex was utilized in several recent hacking attacks on Japanese companies, according to an information security arm of the firm, which itself has also been targeted.