Japan Mulling Police-SDF Hub for Cyber Defense

   Tokyo, Jan. 30 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is considering establishing a new joint hub for the police and the Self-Defense Forces as part of the country's planned adoption of active cyber defense, or pre-emptive action to prevent cyberattacks, it was learned Thursday.
   It will consider using a state-owned facility near the Defense Ministry building in Tokyo's Ichigayahonmuracho district for the new center, aimed at facilitating close cooperation between the police and the SDF to enable swift responses to cyber threats.
   The government's draft legislation on the introduction of active cyber defense was approved by policy panels of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party the same day. The bill was discussed and effectively okayed by panels in the junior ruling party Komeito as well, and is expected to be approved by the cabinet early next month for submission to the Diet, Japan's parliament.
   It comprises three key pillars--boosting public-private cooperation, utilizing communications information, and breaking into servers and rendering threats harmless. The SDF and police will be given authority to neutralize threats through revisions of the SDF Law and the Police Duties Execution Law, respectively.
   The bill enables authorities to obtain and analyze communications between Japan and other countries as well as between foreign countries via Japan. An independent organization will monitor authorities' activities, report to the Diet on its findings and outline them to the public.

(2025/01/30-19:13)

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