Japan strengthens cybersecurity measures against rising ransomware attacks

Japan is intensifying its response to increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, particularly ransomware targeting critical infrastructure and supply chains. Medical institutions have become high-priority targets; attacks on mid-to-large scale hospitals have disrupted clinical operations and surgeries, sometimes requiring up to two months for full system recovery. Common vulnerabilities include insecure VPNs, unmanaged connection points with contractors, and weak password management.

To address these systemic risks, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Cabinet Secretariat's National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cyber are developing the Supply Chain Security (SCS) evaluation system. Managed by the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA), this framework aims to standardize how companies assess the security levels of their business partners.

The SCS system will introduce a tiered rating structure, with applications for ‘3-star’ and ‘4-star’ ratings expected to begin around the end of fiscal year 2026. The goal is to provide a common benchmark that allows companies to objectively verify the security posture of their suppliers, thereby reducing the burden of varying security requirements and strengthening the resilience of the entire national supply chain.