Independent Body to Watch Japan Proactive Cyber Defense Actions

   Tokyo, Jan. 29 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government's draft legislation on proactive cyber defense stipulates an independent committee's surveillance and supervision of authorities' actions including those to be taken before attacks happen, it was learned Wednesday.
   Giving consideration to a constitutional clause guaranteeing secrecy of communication, the draft requires the independent body to report to the Diet, Japan's parliament, on its activities and outline the activities to the public.
   According to the bundle of bills the government plans to introduce to the Diet early next month after the ruling coalition's prior screening from Thursday, the committee will be a Cabinet Office affiliate like the Japan Fair Trade Commission and comprise five cyber and legal experts to be nominated by the prime minister and endorsed by the Diet.
   In the proactive cyber defense strategy, the government will obtain and analyze data on communications between Japan and other countries and between foreign countries via Japan. When it detects signs of attacks, police will remove the threats by intruding into servers involved. To prevent high-level attacks, such as by foreign governments, the Self-Defense Forces will carry out countermeasures.
   The committee will be tasked to examine those actions in advance and give recommendations to the National Police Agency and the Defense Ministry when necessary.

(2025/01/29-21:43)

To read a full story, please click here to find out how to subscribe.