Politics & Government

Japan Needs to Set Up Regulations, 3rd-Party Group if it Plans to Use Telecom Networks for Active Cyber Defense, Expert Panel Says

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
The first meeting of an expert panel on active cyber security is held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo on June 7.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:00 JST, June 14, 2024

An expert panel on active cyber defense said the government needs to set up procedures and regulations if it intends to use telecommunication networks to detect potential attacks, as well as establish a third-party organization to monitor the process.

The government released a 14-page summary on Thursday regarding the panel’s first meeting.

As the public has the Constitutional right to privacy of communication, some on the panel said the government needs to specify exactly what data is necessary for cyber defense.

It was also pointed out that the government should cover the costs for telecommunication operators to provide communication data for the purpose of active cyber defense.

The panel also suggested prioritizing important infrastructures, such as those that support the Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military in Japan, for protection against cyberattacks.