Tokyo, Oct 10:
Japan’s government has urged public bodies and private companies to strengthen their cybersecurity measures amid a rise in the number and sophistication of cyberattacks.
The National Cybersecurity Office, established last year to protect the country against such threats, issued instructions to government ministries on Friday. The ministries will circulate the guidance to local public bodies and private companies.
The recommendations include keeping security software updated, using strong passwords and tightening safeguards throughout supply chains. The government also warned that attackers have posed as people offering protection against cyberattacks, while the use of artificial intelligence is making cybersecurity vulnerabilities more complex.
Several major Japanese companies have reported customer data leaks, including convenience-store chain Lawson, brokerage firm Daiwa Securities and secondhand retailer BookOff. Last month, a cyberattack on car-sharing service Times Car exposed information linked to approximately 6.6 million member accounts.
More than 500 cyberattack cases have already been recorded this year, according to a study released this week by Japanese newspaper Yomiuri and Tokyo-based cybersecurity firm Trend Micro. The figure exceeded the 473 cases recorded last year, while 503 cases were reported in 2024, putting this year on course to set a new record.
The leaked information has included passport and driving licence details, contact information and credit card data. Digital Transformation Minister Toshiharu Furukawa said the attacks were becoming increasingly sophisticated and urged people to take greater responsibility for protecting their personal information.