Japan and US Strengthen Cybersecurity Cooperation

On January 7th, 2023, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan announced that it had signed a memorandum of cooperation with the United States Department of Homeland Security on cybersecurity. The agreement is seen as an important step in strengthening ties between the two countries and increasing their ability to respond to cyber threats. The memorandum was signed by METI Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at a virtual ceremony attended by representatives from both countries. In his remarks, Kajiyama said that the agreement “will help us further enhance our cooperation in areas such as information sharing and capacity building” while Mayorkas noted that “this collaboration will strengthen our ability to detect, prevent, investigate, disrupt and respond to malicious cyber activity targeting either country.” The agreement comes at a time when cyber threats are increasingly becoming more sophisticated and widespread. It also follows several other initiatives taken by both countries in recent years to bolster their cybersecurity capabilities. For example, Japan has been investing heavily in its National Center for Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity (NISC), which is responsible for monitoring domestic networks for potential threats. The US has also been taking steps to improve its own cybersecurity infrastructure through measures such as establishing a Cybersecurity Directorate within DHS last year. The memorandum signed between METI and DHS is expected to further increase collaboration between the two countries on cybersecurity issues going forward. This includes information sharing on emerging threats as well as joint efforts towards improving each country’s respective cyber defenses. It is hoped that this increased cooperation will help both nations better protect themselves against malicious actors who seek to exploit vulnerabilities in cyberspace for their own gain.