The new frontier of Japan's rearmament is cyberspace

Japan is set to expand military and police roles into cyberspace starting in October, under a new law that allows state actors to neutralize large-scale cyberattacks at their source. The Cyber Defense Law is designed to counter threats linked to state activity, including China, Russia and North Korea, which are described as the most active against Japanese networks in recent years. The measure is part of Japan’s faster defense buildup, gaining momentum under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October of the previous year. Because Japan’s Self-Defense Forces are generally limited to responses after conventional attacks, the law aims to address cyber operations that fall short of the war threshold. Japan’s Defense White Paper also identifies cyber groups such as Salt Typhoon, Volt Typhoon, Flax Typhoon, Russian units tied to the General Staff, and North Korea-linked Lazarus.