Japan implements active cyber defense measures

Japan has officially implemented the ‘Cybersecurity Capability Enhancement Act’ and related legislation as of October 1. This marks the beginning of ‘active cyber defense’ operations, a strategy designed to preemptively mitigate cyberattacks before they cause damage.

Under this new framework, the police and the Ministry of Defense/Self-Defense Forces are authorized to remotely access servers used by hacker groups for criminal activities or attacks targeting national security. These authorities allow for ‘neutralization measures,’ which include stopping or deleting malicious programs and changing settings to prevent attackers from re-accessing the targeted servers. The law also aims to strengthen public-private partnerships, particularly with operators of critical infrastructure such as electricity and railway services.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that these measures will enable the country to deal effectively with cyber threats targeting Japan. She emphasized the necessity of close cooperation with allies and like-minded nations, noting that the evolving nature of cyber threats makes it difficult for any single country or sector to respond alone.