By Shuntaro Murase / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Major IT firms are stepping up their efforts to support companies and government agencies through cyber defense.

Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and there are many instances in which consumers have been directly affected. Japan has been criticized for lagging behind other countries in terms of cyber defense, and cooperation between the public and private sectors is considered necessary to address the issue.

New facilities, technology

NEC Corp. will start operations at a new facility specializing in cyber defense in October. Specialized personnel will be stationed there around the clock to monitor the internet for suspicious activity. They will detect signs of attacks by analyzing servers in various countries and inform customers of any potential danger.

AI will be used to efficiently collect and analyze data. The company will establish similar facilities in Europe and the United States from fiscal 2026. NEC will cooperate with KDDI Corp., which operates data centers worldwide, in providing defense to Japanese companies' overseas facilities.

"Cyberattacks have the potential to disrupt our daily lives," said NEC President Takayuki Morita. "We will leverage NEC's strengths to protect Japan's digital infrastructure and people's livelihoods."

Preventing, mitigating, undoing damage

Other companies are also stepping up their efforts to counter cyberattacks.

NTT Data Group Corp. employs 7,500 specialists worldwide to provide comprehensive support, from preventive measures to damage mitigation. Hitachi Solutions Ltd. is focusing on post-attack data recovery services, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to completely prevent attacks.

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology estimates that the number of suspected cyberattacks in Japan has increased 20-fold over the past 10 years. An example was seen in late 2024, when Japan Airlines Co. experienced numerous delays and cancellations and MUFG Bank Ltd. had difficulty connecting customers to its internet banking service, leading to public confusion.

The United States has repeatedly urged Japan to strengthen its cyber defense measures, citing weaknesses in the country's capabilities. The Japanese government is seeking to pass bills related to "active cyber defense" in the current Diet session to improve its ability to respond to cyberattacks.

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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal were not involved in the creation of this content.

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May 14, 2025 05:39 ET (09:39 GMT)

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