Initial Disclosure Date: May 20, 2013

The National Police Agency launched the Center to Analyze Cyber-Attacks at Security Planning Division, Security Bureau on May 16. The center has about 20 analysts and is head by Officer in charge of Cyber Defense, who also belongs to the division. The center serves as a command for local police departments to provide guidance for information gathering, analysis, and investigation.

This April, 13 prefectural police departments established the Special Troop for Cyber-Attack Investigation, which have about 140 investigators in total. The center gathers information from the troops and analyzes malware and computer viruses with the ICT section.

The NPA plans to dispatch police officers who have expertise on cyber-attacks and belong to the Special Troop to other prefectures if necessary.

The agency also seeks to expand the public-private partnership. The NPA works with critical infrastructure companies, high-technology companies, and cybersecurity companies to share more information.

Sources:

• National Police Agency, “Koho shiryo: sogo-teki na saiba kogeki taisaku no kyoka nit suite [Press Release: how to improve countermeasures against cyber-attacks],” May 16, 2013,
  http://www.npa.go.jp/keibi/biki3/250516kouhou.pdf
• Yomiuri Shimbun, “Keisatsu-cho ni tai saiba kogeki no shireito… joho wo shuyaku [the National Police Agency establishes a new command to counter cyber-attacks and gather information],” May 16, 2013,
  http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/net/news0/national/20130516-OYT1T00440.htm?from=ylist
• Yukihiro Katsumura, “Keisatsu-cho ga ‘saiba kogeki bunseki senta”, zenkoku no keisatsu kara joho wo shushu [the National Police Agency establishes the Center to Analyze Cyber-Attacks to gather information from local police departments all over Japan],” Nikkei PC Online, May 17, 2013,
  http://itpro.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/NEWS/20130517/477483/