According to a new report by Nikkei after viewing Ministry of Defense plans, the Japanese military is set to add hundreds of new cybersecurity specialists to its forces due to current aggression from hostile nations. The report revealed that as of 2020, there was 660 cybersecurity personnel in Japan’s Self Defense Forces (SDF), however, Japan’s new plans seek to increase this figure to 800 by the end of March 2022 and to over 1000 by the end of 2023. Japan will also create a single unit to promote unified cybersecurity for all three branches of the Japanese military in order to boost efficiency. Expertise from this industry is necessary due to the rising hostility from Chinese and Russian state-backed hackers and organized cybercrime, according to the report.
Last May, the Japanese government revealed that it was investigating a potentially serious national security breach after a prototype plan for a hypersonic missile was allegedly stolen from Mitsubishi Electric. The plans were created as the company was bidding for a next-generation technology contract from the Japanese military. Sensitive employee data was also extracted from the industrial giant from state operatives, according to reports. The country is likely trying to compete with the Five Eyes nations yet struggling due to constitutional constraints on data collection, the report stated.
Read More: Japan Looks to Boost Military Cyber Experts Amid Security Threat
