Japan will allocate 10 billion yen to strengthen cyber defense with artificial intelligence and improve the response to cyberattacks.
Japan will allocate 10 billion yen to strengthen its digital defense systems, incorporate artificial intelligence, and improve its response capabilities to cyberattacks. The Japanese government announced a package of emergency measures to reinforce its defenses cybersecurity national response to the rise in cyber threats.
The initiative, presented by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, envisions the creation of specialized teams, cooperation with technology companies, and an initial investment of 10 billion yen (US$63.3 million), the strategy seeks to improve prevention and response to cyberattacks, as well as establish coordination mechanisms to protect the systems that support essential services in the Japanese economy.
Japan creates specialized teams to respond to cyberattacks
The plan includes the creation of an elite team of specialists that will begin operations at the end of November, their duties will include penetration testing and security assessments to detect vulnerabilities in computer systems. A second group of experts, comprised of public officials and representatives from the private sector, will also be deployed. Their role will be to provide technical assistance to companies that experience security incidents and require support to contain attacks.
The initiative responds to several high-profile cyberattacks recorded during 2026, among the factors exacerbating these threats are the increasing use of artificial intelligence by attackers and vulnerabilities in protection systems, during a ministerial meeting on cybersecurity, Takaichi noted that the early implementation of these measures will strengthen the country’s cyber resilience and reduce public concern about digital risks.
Artificial intelligence and budget to strengthen cyber defense
To finance these initiatives, the Government approved a 10 billion yen allocation from the 2026 fiscal year budget reserves, the resources will be used to strengthen public sector cybersecurity and expand investigation and response capabilities.
Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama detailed the planned distribution of the funds:
2 billion yen:Application of artificial intelligence to detect vulnerabilities in critical government systems.
4.1 billion yen:Strengthening of police units specializing in cybersecurity.
3.8 billion yen:Strengthening the cybersecurity of the Digital Agency.
Artificial intelligence will play a preventative role within this strategy, its application will allow the identification of weaknesses in essential systems and improve the capacity of institutions to detect potential threats before they become incidents.
Collaboration with companies specializing in artificial intelligence will also be part of the plan, the government seeks to leverage their technological capabilities to respond to an increasingly complex digital threat environment.
The NCO will centralize information on digital threats
Strengthening technical capabilities will be accompanied by changes in institutional coordination, the country seeks to centralize information on security incidents to improve the authorities’ response to potential attacks. To this end, Takaichi requested that cyberattack data be centralized at the National Cyber Security Office (NCO), an agency that will play a key role in gathering information and coordinating government responses.
Critical infrastructure operators must report any incident affecting their systems to the NCO as quickly as possible, this mechanism will reduce reaction times to threats that could compromise essential services and will also facilitate centralized information for authorities to assess risks and coordinate protection measures.
The package also includes discussions about the possible blocking of websites used to carry out malicious activities, the proposal seeks to limit the spread of stolen information and hinder the operations of those responsible for the attacks.
The GMO case promotes new data protection measures
The government’s announcement comes after a security incident that affected GMO Internet Group, the company publicly requested the intervention of the authorities after suffering a breach in its desktop cloud service, the attack compromised more than 26,000 servers, including accounts linked to foreign exchange operations. The perpetrators also withheld customers’ personal information to demand a ransom, increasing the pressure on the company.
As part of the planned measures, the Government will update the security management guidelines in January 2027. The revision will establish the elimination of personal data that is no longer needed, with the purpose of reducing the risks of unauthorized access. In this way, the country seeks to combine technological investment, cooperation between the public and private sectors and best practices in information management to strengthen its digital defense.
The package announced by the Takaichi administration responds to recent security incidents and sets new demands for institutions and companies responsible for protecting the country’s data and critical infrastructure.
Source: Japan Times
Photo: Shutterstock
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