Govt to Launch 1st Investigation into Cybersecurity Field, Plans to Create Measures to Foster Specialists Now in Short Supply

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:03 JST, August 19, 2025

The government will launch its first investigation into the state of the cybersecurity field in Japan. The aim is to develop effective measures for fostering and securing specialists on these matters by estimating how many of them Japan currently has and determining what areas need more of them.

Addressing the spread of cyberattacks, which are becoming an everyday occurrence, requires specialized knowledge across multiple areas, including not only system analysis skills but also legal expertise in relevant laws and regulations, as well as proficiency in public relations and awareness raising.

According to a survey conducted in 2024 by ISC2, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization which provides cybersecurity training and certification, Japan had about 500,000 cybersecurity professionals, about 170,000 short of estimated demand.

The shortage had expanded from about 110,000 in the 2023 survey, prompting Japan to urgently assess conditions surrounding these specialists.

Going forward, the government plans to gain a more accurate picture of the situation by conducting investigations to estimate the number of the specialists in each age and gender group, as well as their future prospects and the supply-and-demand balance of these personnel, among other things. Based on the results of these studies, the government plans to explore measures to collaborate with the private sector to foster specialists that are currently in insufficient supply.