Japan launches active cyberdefense program

The program involves police and the Self-Defense Forces hacking into servers when they detect signs of a cyberattack, in order to neutralize the threats by taking actions such as deleting harmful programs.

The government will strengthen its collaboration critical infrastructure operators.

The Japan Active Cyber Defense Oversight Committee, an independent body established in April, will assess whether the government side's actions were appropriate.

Speaking at a government meeting on Wednesday, Toshiharu Furukawa, minister in charge of cybersecurity, said, "We're committed to securing the world's highest level of resilience."

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi wrote in a social media post that cyberspace threats are constantly changing. "We'll continuously work on improving our response capabilities," she said.