Key Takeaway
Japanese companies are facing increasing ransomware attacks on their overseas subsidiaries, particularly in the U.S. and Southeast Asia. To mitigate supply chain risks, effective cybersecurity governance, data backups, and network segmentation are essential. Interestingly, Japan has the lowest ransomware infection rate among major countries, with many victims opting not to pay ransoms. This trend is influenced by cultural factors and insurance policies. The war in Ukraine has prompted Japan to bolster its national cybersecurity strategy, enhancing public-private partnerships and cyber defenses, especially since hosting the 2020 Olympics highlighted the need for improved cyber threat intelligence sharing.
As Japanese companies increasingly expand their businesses globally, numerous firms have reported their overseas subsidiaries being targeted by ransomware attacks in the United States, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and Taiwan.
To manage supply chain risks and ensure business continuity, it is more crucial than ever to establish global governance in cybersecurity, maintain proper data backups, implement the principle of least privilege, and utilize network segmentation.
Interestingly, Japan has the lowest ransomware infection ratio among 15 major countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
Additionally, more Japanese victims opt not to pay a ransom to criminal groups compared to those in other countries.
Yukimi Sohta, Chief Cybersecurity Evangelist at Proofpoint, notes that companies in Japan tend to back up data more frequently due to the prevalence of natural disasters; the Japanese culture discourages organizations from paying off criminals, and Japanese cyber insurance does not cover ransom payments.
How do regional geopolitical tensions and emerging technologies such as 5G and quantum computing influence Japan’s national cybersecurity priorities and public–private collaboration?
The onset of the war in Ukraine prompted Japan to enhance its national security capabilities across all domains, including cyberspace, leading to the release of the new National Security Strategy in December 2022.
Since Tokyo was selected to host the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in September 2013, the Japanese government and industry have been motivated to strengthen cyber defenses and foster public-private partnerships to share cyber threat intelligence and best practices.
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