Japan Adopts New Cybersecurity Strategy to Counter Rising Cyber Threats

Japan approved a five-year cybersecurity strategy that centralizes incident intelligence at a new National Cybersecurity Office, improves coordination among police, the Defense Ministry, and the Self-Defense Forces, and invests in skills, technology, and exercises, while expanding public-private and international cooperation. The plan identifies state-sponsored threats from China, Russia, and North Korea, warns of AI-driven attacks, and notes rising ransomware and banking fraud, but faces legislative and privacy challenges surrounding active cyber defense.