Japan Ramps Up Cyber-Defence With New Law, Global Partnerships and Talent Drive

Japan has unveiled a three-pronged strategy to harden its digital defences, combining a landmark “active cyber-defence” law, an aggressive skills-training plan and deeper cooperation with foreign partners such as Lithuania.

1. Legislative pivot: Active Cyber-Defence Law

On 16 May, the Diet approved legislation that empowers authorities to monitor internet traffic, analyse communications data and disable overseas servers launching attacks—even in peacetime. The law reverses decades-old restraints rooted in privacy concerns and Japan’s pacifist constitution, positioning police and the Self-Defence Forces to act pre-emptively rather than after a breach.
A new oversight panel will vet operations, but civil-liberties groups warn that large-scale data collection could chill privacy rights.

2. Workforce challenge: Doubling cyber experts

Tokyo’s next hurdle is manpower. A recent industry-ministry report found just 24,000 holders of the national Registered Information Security Specialist licence—barely a quarter of the estimated 110,000 specialists the economy needs. The government now targets at least 50,000 qualified professionals by 2030 through certification reforms, university grants and fast-track training schemes.
From 2026, regulators will begin auditing private-sector security and may withhold subsidies from firms that fall short, creating an extra incentive for companies to hire certified talent.

3. International partnerships: Learning from Lithuania

Capability building also extends overseas. On 28 May, Defence Minister Gen Nakatani met Lithuanian counterpart Dovile Šakalienė in Tokyo and agreed to expand cyber cooperation. Japan will dispatch a ministry analyst to Lithuania’s Regional Cyber Defence Centre next month, tapping Baltic expertise forged by years of Russian intrusion attempts.
The tie-up follows similar pacts with the United States, Estonia and NATO, reflecting Japan’s shift from passive victim to proactive partner in global cyber-security networks.

Why now?

Experts say Japan’s cyber posture has lagged behind other advanced economies, leaving vulnerabilities across defence contractors, utilities and consumer platforms. High-profile breaches—from a 2011 ransomware attack on Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to the 2018 Coincheck cryptocurrency heist—highlighted the risks, but the surge in state-linked hacking campaigns over the past two years finally pushed policymakers to act.

What to watch

If successfully implemented, the reforms could elevate Japan’s defences to levels closer to those of Western allies—and offer a model for nations balancing privacy, industry needs and rising cyber threats.

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