Japan lags behind the United States and Europe in defending against cyber threats, the nation's new cyber chief has stated. Yoichi Iida highlighted the need for improvements across the corporate sector amid a series of recent breaches.
National Cyber Director Yoichi Iida stated in an interview on the sidelines of a cybersecurity conference in Tokyo that Japan trails the United States and Europe in countering cyber threats. "We have our intention to improve our capability, but it’s just started," he said.
Under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration, cybersecurity has been designated as a key investment priority, especially following a wave of recent incidents that exposed national weaknesses. A ransomware attack crippled operations at Asahi Group Holdings, while a breach at Askul disrupted its e-commerce services. Nikkei reported a virus infection that potentially compromised employee and business partner data.
These events underscore the urgency for enhanced corporate governance and privacy protections. Iida stressed that broad efforts to bolster defenses are essential moving forward.