Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will announce an emergency package of measures against a wave of cyberattacks on November 6, with officials inside the government agreed that the incidents so far are "only the beginning". The package will be drawn up under the prime minister's direction, but the defenses themselves will mostly be carried out by private companies, and there are limits to what the state can do.
Takaichi will present the package at a meeting of cabinet ministers responsible for cybersecurity on the afternoon of November 6. It is expected to include support for companies, such as a single point of contact for consultations, along with the government's plans for future measures.
According to a government official, the timing reflects the recent situation, including the unauthorized access suffered by GMO Internet Group. GMO's president, Masatoshi Kumagai, wrote on X on October 24 that the company had begun requesting active cyber defense (ACD) from government-related organizations.
A power the government had just gained
One ACD tool, the "neutralization measure", lets police and the Self-Defense Forces enter an attacker's computer and stop it from attacking. It became legally available on October 1. The request caused bafflement inside the government, where the view was that such action is not something taken at a company's request, but a senior official in the prime minister's office said it would be awkward if the government appeared to have done nothing.
On October 26 the government held the first meeting of the cybersecurity ministers ahead of schedule, and the prime minister declared that Japan would strategically select and carry out every available option, including neutralization measures under ACD. The government does not disclose details of ACD operations when it uses them, but the explicit reference was intended to deter attackers, a senior official in the prime minister's office said.
In practice, concern inside the government had been building before that.