By Tomoki Okamoto / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Japan's Financial Services Agency and the Bank of Japan have asked financial institutions to set criteria for shutting down financial systems if they fail to repel cyberattacks that utilize the latest artificial intelligence models.

This is one of the measures the FSA and the BOJ on Friday requested financial institutions to implement to deal with the threat of AI-assisted cyberattacks.

The request called for identifying services and systems that should be prioritized and allocating resources accordingly. It noted that systems open to the public, such as online banking, "should be addressed as a top priority."

Taking into account that cyberattacks may succeed even with the thorough implementation of protective measures, the FSA and the BOJ urged top management of financial institutions to "consider the option of proactively shutting down services or systems." They emphasized the importance of clearly defining the criteria and procedures for deciding when to do this.

Citing examples such as Claude Mythos, the latest AI model from U.S. startup Anthropic PBC, which is considered to have exceptional capabilities in identifying system vulnerabilities, the FSA and the BOJ expressed their view that "cybersecurity threats are escalating amid rapid advancements in AI technology."

At a press conference following a Cabinet meeting on Friday, Satsuki Katayama, minister for financial services, said, "I'd like to urge financial institutions and others to respond swiftly to changes in the threats posed by AI."

Katayama also revealed that during her meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who visited Japan from May 11 to 13, she was informed that the Japanese government and financial institutions would be granted access to Mythos.

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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.

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May 25, 2026 00:24 ET (04:24 GMT)

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