The Japanese government is exploring the possibility of monitoring private metadata to enhance its cyberattack defenses. This initiative aims to track data such as the size of messages and IP addresses without directly identifying individuals, thereby addressing privacy concerns while strengthening cybersecurity measures.
Under current Japanese law, the monitoring of message content is prohibited. Instead, the government plans to focus on metadata, which includes information about the size and timing of messages and IP addresses. This approach is deemed to comply with constitutional privacy protections.
The government intends to introduce a bill in the upcoming extraordinary parliament session to implement this surveillance strategy. This legislation will support Japan’s “active cyber defense” efforts, which involve detecting cyberattack indicators and potentially taking preventive actions, such as disrupting malicious servers.
Additionally, Japan’s government is considering creating a new organization within the National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity to manage and analyze the collected metadata. This move aims to improve the country’s ability to preempt and respond to cyber threats effectively.
Reference:
