Japan Bolsters Cybersecurity Safeguards With Cyber Defense Bill

Japan's Active Cyber Defense Bill authorizes both passive and active measures to strengthen national cybersecurity: it creates a cybersecurity council and reporting requirements for critical infrastructure, permits collection of telecommunication metadata to monitor cross-border communications, and enables military and law enforcement to disrupt hostile servers via designated "cyber harm-prevention officers." While the legislation aims to improve preparedness, analysts and commentators warn it raises significant risks of government overreach and insufficient oversight.