Japan upgrades defense, allowing pre-emptive attacks in cyberspace

Sheet Nikkei Asia On December 11, it was reported that Japan intends to establish a legal framework that will allow strengthening of defense measures in cyberspace, including the ability to attack pre-emptively.

The government intends to change the rules so that it can start tracking potential attackers and breaking into systems as soon as there is a potential threat.

Current regulations make it extremely difficult to apply the above measures, unless there is an emergency situation that requires the mobilization of defense forces after a military attack.

The plan is reflected in a proposal to amend the National Security Strategy that has just been submitted to the governing coalition. The draft amendment is expected to be approved by the cabinet before the end of this month.

Other countries have similar regulations that allow governments to launch cyberattacks to destroy external systems, when suspicious activity is detected.

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As the frequency and scale of cyberattacks increases globally, the Japanese government considers the application of similar regulations urgent and appropriate for the time being.

The move is expected to be a turning point in Japan’s cyber defense sector, which is limited by interpretations of the Constitution and laws relating to the use of force, as well as privacy concerns.

The change would allow the government to protect private sector infrastructure such as the power grid and financial system. The draft could also open up the possibility of Japan responding in cyberspace and neutralizing cyber attackers.

After cabinet approval, the ruling coalition in January 2023 will discuss to amend the existing regulations and introduce new ones. The documents mention that Japan will strengthen its cyber defenses “to the level of Western powers”.

The National Security Strategy is being revised for the first time after its promulgation in December 2013 to deal with the changing geopolitical situation. Other proposed changes include increasing defense budgets and acquiring counter-attack capabilities to target enemy missile launch sites, among other changes.