Japan prioritizes domestic software to ensure cybersecurity

Japan will prioritize the use of domestic software for cybersecurity purposes, providing and supporting technology to promote the production of "made in Japan" products and reduce dependence on foreign countries.

Nhật Bản muốn thúc đẩy sản xuất các sản phẩm an ninh mạng “made in Japan” để giảm phụ thuộc vào các sản phẩm nước ngoài. (Nguồn: Nikkei Asia)

Japan wants to boost domestic production of cybersecurity products to reduce dependence on foreign products. (Source: Nikkei Asia)

Cyberattacks have been on the rise in Japan recently. According to a report by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, 619.7 billion IP packets were involved in cyberattacks in 2023, about 10 times more than in 2015. This has raised concerns about the effectiveness of using foreign cybersecurity software, prompting the Northeast Asian country to develop domestic products.

Accordingly, Japan will prioritize the use of domestic software for the purpose of ensuring cybersecurity, providing and supporting technology to promote the production of “made in Japan” products and reduce dependence on foreign countries. As of 2021, cybersecurity software provided by domestic companies accounted for 40% of the product market. However, this rate is currently less than 10% because businesses tend to apply famous, quality-tested software from foreign countries.

Faced with this situation, Japan has identified boosting domestic production of cybersecurity products as the first pillar of a strategy implemented by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. In the immediate future, the country will prioritize purchasing from startups, aiming to increase the revenue of technology companies from 900 billion yen (5.96 billion USD) to more than 3,000 billion yen (nearly 20 billion USD) within a decade. At the same time, the government will develop a list of quality cybersecurity products, making it easier for businesses to choose software that suits their needs.

The second pillar focuses on supporting the development of response technology, with the establishment of a 30 billion yen ($200 million) prize fund to encourage companies to develop useful products.

The third pillar is to improve human resources and standardize technology. The government will expand training programs and facilitate the recognition of international degrees in the field of cybersecurity. Japan also aims to make domestic cybersecurity technology a global standard.

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