Initial Disclosure Date: Dec 17, 2012

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won a sweeping victory in the general election on December 16. While the manifesto of the Democratic Party of Japan has no referral to cybersecurity, the LDP’s policy proposal, called “J-File,” includes two following sections on cybersecurity, which reflect a high level of interests in this issue.。^{(footnote:ⅰ)}

44　Stronger Cybersecurity Measures 　To protect citizens from perennial cyber crimes, we will strengthen cooperation with ministries and agencies for collective strength. We will attract investments in the public sector and promote technical transfer to the private sector in order to contribute to economic growth. 　The government, especially, the Japan Coast Guard, Ministry of Defense, and National Police Agency, should establish a dynamic defensive system and back-up system as capable as their U.S. counterparts. We will introduce a procedure to put all the information equipment belonging to the government under robust security. 　These measures will allow the private sector to develop new sophisticated products and services for the governments and encourage them to take advantage of new technologies for themselves. We aim to create 100,000 new jobs by establishing a high-technology information security industry.

126　Stronger Cybersecurity Measures 　Since Japanese information security technology is far from the world most advanced one, it does not allow the government to deal with any cyber contingency even though the current strategy aims to become a information security-leading country by 2020. We will designate cyber-attacks by other countries as contingency from a perspective of diplomacy, national security, and safety of citizens and drastically strengthen information security. Specifically, we will shorten the timeframe to five years and establish a fund and allocate budgets to encourage relevant capital investments, education and training of experts and citizens, and research and development. We will also revise contingency-related laws, introduce an appropriate information assurance/secret protection law, and reinforce information security related organizations. 　The government, especially, the Japan Coast Guard, Ministry of Defense, and National Police Agency, should establish a dynamic defensive system and back-up system as capable as their U.S. counterparts. We will introduce a procedure to put all the information equipment belonging to the government under robust security.

The LDP has been working on cybersecurity for a while and released a 32-page long document, “Proposal on Information Security” ^{(footnote:ⅱ)} dated February 24th, 2012. This document seems to be a basis of the aforementioned J-File. The Party argues in this proposal that certain types of cyber-attacks can be regarded as contingency and thus cybersecurity should treated as a critical issue for national security. The document asks for research and development of Japanese own technologies, the establishment of a sophisticated information security industry, the protection of critical infrastructures, education and training of experts, and the improvement of relevant legislation.

It would be challenging for the LDP to prioritize cybersecurity and budgetary increase ^{(footnote:ⅲ)} for the purpose for a while, because economic recovery and an end to deflation are more imminent agenda for the country. ^{(footnote:ⅳ)} The so-called twister Diet is another stumbling block because the opposition has a majority in the upper house. Yet, the Party must not forget that their policy proposal on the amendment to the Constitution and firm attitude toward territorial issues may invite cyber-attacks. There are so many agenda which cry for immediate actions such as defining what constitute contingency in cyberspace, reinforcing watch and analysis of cyber-attack indications, and improving the capability to prevent and counter cyber threats.


Related Informations::

1. LDP “J-File 2012 Sogo seisaku-shu [J-File 2012  Policy proposal],”
   http://jimin.ncss.nifty.com/pdf/j_file2012.pdf
2. LDP, “Joho sekyuriti ni kansuru teigen [Proposal on information security],” February 24, 2012,
   http://www.jimin.jp/policy/policy_topics/pdf/seisaku-096.pdf
3. “Proposal on Information Security” asks for 54.5 billion yen (about 648 million U.S. dollars) to strengthen current measures taken by the government and 110 billion yen (about 1.3 billion U.S. dollars) to introduce new measures, whereas the Democratic Party of Japan allocated only 29.3 billion yen (about 348 U.S. million dollars).
4. Asahi Shimbun, “Abe Sosai, Shohi zozei ha ‘rainen 4-6 gatsu no GDP mite handan’ [Abe will decide whether to raise the consumption tax or not, taking GDP between next April and June into consideration],” December 17, 2012,
   http://www.asahi.com/politics/update/1217/TKY201212160171.html