Japan Approves $63 Million Emergency Cybersecurity Plan Following Major Data Breaches

2026, November 6

Japan

Japan has approved an emergency cybersecurity package worth 10 billion yen (approximately $63 million) following a series of cyberattacks affecting dozens of major companies and government agencies. The attacks have exposed customer information, disrupted business operations and raised concerns about the country's vulnerability to increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government must strengthen its response capabilities, particularly as artificial intelligence makes cyberattacks more sophisticated and difficult to prevent.

The package includes establishing a specialist cybersecurity team that will use artificial intelligence to identify network vulnerabilities and help defend organisations against hackers. A separate public-private cyber rescue team will provide immediate assistance to businesses suffering attacks, while government agencies will strengthen intelligence sharing and investigative capabilities. The measures also expand Japan's active cyber-defence framework, allowing authorities to take action against servers used by malicious actors.