Active Cyber Defense Bill Clears Lower House Panel

   Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)--Japan's House of Representatives Cabinet Committee on Friday approved by a majority vote a bill to introduce active cyber defense, or preemptive measures against possible cyberattacks on government institutions and critical infrastructure.
   The bill was supported by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner, Komeito, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), also an opposition party.
   Modified after proposals from the opposition parties, the bill is expected to win approval from the full lower chamber of the Diet, Japanese parliament, at a plenary session as soon as Tuesday, before being sent to the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, for enactment during the ongoing Diet session.
   Under active cyber defense, the government will monitor communications in peacetime. If signs of major attacks are detected, police and the Self-Defense Forces will break into servers linked to the attacks and take measures to neutralize them.
   A cyber communications and information oversight committee will be established as an independent organization to supervise cyber defense operations.

(2025/04/04-18:59)