Features Politics
John Hofilena on May 9 2013
In the wake of recent statements made by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and United States Secretary of State John Kerry about the importance of cybersecurity – the protection of secure computer systems and networks from malicious and intentional attacks – Japan and the
United States started the first bilateral talks on issues relating to cyberspace on Thursday. Both countries have agreed on the notion that cyberattacks pose a real threat to national security, and look to discuss countermeasures and international rule-making regarding the realm of the
Internet.
In what is clearly a breach in government technological facility, the Japanese
Foreign Ministry said yesterday, February 5, that one of its computers were compromised, which probably resulted in the copying of certain documents to an external server. The ministry said they were informed of the breach on January 28 by Japan's National Information Security Center.
Government sources revealed that a number of highly confidential files have been stolen through a
cyber attack on the computers of the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ministry, including documents related to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade pact negotiations. Investigations revealed that the
attack came from overseas, possibly from South Korea, according to sources.
