Public-Private Efforts Sought for Submarine Cable Protection

Tokyo, June 12 (Jiji Press)–An expert panel of Japan’s communications ministry on Friday called for cooperation between the public and private sectors to strengthen the protection of international submarine cables. In a draft report, the panel also urged the government to boost its role in the protection of such cables to help strengthen the country’s international competitiveness at a time when volumes of data are increasing on the back of growing use of artificial intelligence. The importance of international submarine cables is increasing in light of national security, the report said. The ministry plans to finalize the report in mid-July after gathering public comments on the draft from Saturday. The draft said that it is important to build systems to quickly repair submarine cables by developing technologies to detect damage in advance and securing cable-laying ships. It proposed measures, such as dispersing cable landing stations, which are currently concentrated in the Boso region in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, and the Shima region in the central prefecture of Mie, and enhancing surveillance systems. Japan, an island nation, relies on submarine cables for about 99 pct of its international communications. The draft stressed the need for the government to continue supporting human resource development and expansion into overseas markets in order to boost international competitiveness. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]