Japan to Begin Active Cyber Defense Operations in Oct.

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government decided at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday to begin active cyber defense operations on Oct. 1, as part of efforts to prevent major cyberattacks. The move comes after a related law was enacted last May to allow police and the Self-Defense Forces to take steps, such as deleting harmful programs from potential perpetrators’ servers, to neutralize threats once signs of impending serious cyberattacks are detected. Meanwhile, there are concerns that the confidentiality of communications guaranteed by the Constitution could be violated as communications within Japan, between Japan and other countries, and between foreign countries via Japan will be monitored, even in peacetime. At a press conference on Tuesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru noted that only “mechanical data” will be analyzed under the supervision of an independent committee. “The system gives sufficient consideration to the confidentiality and privacy of communications,” Kihara said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]