Updated on 2022-12-12: Japan On Board with Disrupting Hackers
The Japanese government is planning to introduce laws to allow it to launch cyber operations to disrupt attackers when a potential risk is identified. This appears to be just one part of the Japanese government rethinking the country’s pacifist approach to self-defence. The Washington Post reported this week that Japan will buy Tomahawk cruise missiles, describing it as a “stunning break with a long tradition of eschewing offensive weapons”.
In isolation we think this change makes sense, but in the context of a more robust approach to defence it is a no-brainer. In a modern military offensive cyber operations should be one of the tools available. Read more:
- Japan to amend laws to allow for offensive cyber operations against foreign hackers
- Japan to upgrade cyber defense, allowing preemptive measures
- Japan to buy Tomahawk missiles in defense buildup amid fears of war
Overview: Japan to go on the cyber-offensive
The Japanese government is working to amend its National Security Strategy law to allow government agencies to conduct preemptive cyber-attacks against threat actors they might deem a potential threat. In its current form, Japanese law allows the country to respond with offensive cyber-attacks only in the case of a military attack. The Japanese government’s efforts come after the Australian government said they would go after hacker groups as a preemptive measure before threat actors can get to attack Australian organizations. Read more:
