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In 2020, classified Japanese diplomatic documents were leaked following Chinese cyberattacks on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This incident exposed the country's digital vulnerability. The leaked documents included highly confidential diplomatic telegrams between the ministry and its international diplomatic missions. The attack occurred during a period of government under then-PM Abe. Tokyo and Washington discussed potential countermeasures in response to this cyberattack. The diplomatic telegrams were transmitted via an encrypted Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IP-VPN), which plays a critical role in securing the transfer of sensitive data1. Japan's cybersecurity has faced challenges, prompting calls for improved defences to safeguard national security and critical infrastructure3. However, concrete legislative actions are yet to be presented nationally. The exact content of the leaked diplomatic telegrams remains undisclosed.
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Japan has lagged behind other developed countries in developing its cybersecurity defences, causing great concern to its close security ally, the United States. Washington has urged Tokyo to improve its cybersecurity capabilities. In its National Security Strategy updated recently, Japan pledged to introduce "active cyber defence" to eliminate in advance the possibility of serious cyberattacks that could threaten "national security and critical infrastructure." But bills to implement a more active approach to cyber defence have not been submitted to parliament as discussions on the issue have stalled, with fears lingering that such a move could violate the nation's Constitutional guarantee on the secrecy of communications. Among other governmental offices that have suffered cyberattacks, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency was likely targeted by an attack last year, but no sensitive information on rockets or satellites was accessed. In August, the government's National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity said it found that email addresses and other information might have been leaked due to unauthorized external access.
Classified Japanese diplomatic info leaked after Chinese cyberattacks
Classified Japanese diplomatic information was leaked following Chinese cyberattacks on the Foreign Ministry in 2020, a government source said Monday, exposing the nation's digital vulnerability.