Japan, US defense chiefs agree to strengthen cooperation in cyberspace
The defense chiefs of Japan and the United States have agreed to strengthen cooperation in cyberspace.
The agreement was made in a meeting between Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Singapore on Saturday.
It comes as the United States is drawing up a national defense strategy, which will serve as a guideline for its national security policy.
Nakatani and Hegseth agreed to closely work together so that the priorities in the two countries' strategies can be aligned.
Nakatani explained to Hegseth that Japan has enacted legislation to implement what is called "active cyber defense" that is designed to preempt possible cyberattacks.
The two officials pledged to work together to strengthen deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-US alliance.
They also agreed to coordinate on plans to hold a "two-plus-two" meeting of the foreign and defense chiefs of both countries.
Nakatani was asked by reporters after the talks whether the US secretary referred to a possible increase in Japan's defense spending.
The minister declined to comment on what exactly his US counterpart talked about. Nakatani said that he told Hegseth it is important for Japan to fundamentally strengthen its defense capabilities based on its own decisions and responsibilities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
an hour ago
- Japan Times
Southeast Asia joins Europe's calls to defend subsea cables
Defense officials from Europe and Southeast Asia called for stronger collaboration to protect the global network of subsea cables as concerns grow over threats to this vital infrastructure. Countries like Singapore and Malaysia are becoming key hubs for the roughly 600 fiber-optic cables that carry nearly all of the world's data. Meanwhile, a spike in cable damage in European waters, particularly in the Baltic Sea, has heightened fears about the network's vulnerability. "We need to work together to defend the entire network,' Singapore Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing said at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security forum on Sunday. "There's no point trying to defend the integrity and security of a submarine cable by looking at a point. We need both ends to be secure.' The issue came up repeatedly during the two-day summit in Singapore, with European officials keen to share what they've learned from the recent rise in subsea cable damage. Today, the global undersea cable network stretches about 1.4 million kilometers. With the demand for data center power projected to surge significantly with the advent of intensive artificial intelligence platforms, more cables are essential. Protecting them has become a key imperative in Europe since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with incidents in its waters mostly involving tankers traveling to and from Russia, and in at least one case, a Chinese vessel. Despite suspicions of sabotage, there's been no strong evidence pointing to deliberate attacks, with the incidents more likely to be accidents or careless behavior. Still, NATO countries have increased patrols in key areas to ensure the safety of undersea infrastructure. The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas urged European and Asian partners to work together at sea to tackle covert "shadow fleets' of tankers and review maritime security laws. Protecting digital cable infrastructure is important for the Philippines too, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said in an interview. He added that his country, which is locked in a long-running dispute with China in the South China Sea, is working to build up its capabilities to address the threat. Thailand also called the issue a pressing concern, with Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai saying the country is collaborating with Singapore and Brunei. He added undersea infrastructure faces risks not only from sabotage, but also from accidents and natural disasters.
Kyodo News
2 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 2, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 17 minutes ago - 09:00 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Trump's steel tariff hike not raised in Japan-U.S. talks: negotiator TOKYO - Japan's chief tariff negotiator said Sunday that his U.S. counterpart had not touched on President Donald Trump's decision to double tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 percent during their talks in Washington late last week. Trump's announcement came on social media on Friday, the same day that Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's minister in charge of economic policy, met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other officials for the fourth round of bilateral tariff negotiations. ---------- Japan, Philippines agree to reinforce ties between defense forces SINGAPORE - The Japanese and Philippine defense ministers agreed in Singapore on Sunday to step up collaboration between their forces in the face of China's maritime assertiveness in the East and South China seas. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, meeting on the sidelines of an annual Asia security forum, also agreed to promote cooperation on arms exports and maintain close communication between the countries' defense authorities. ---------- North Korea no longer bans military use of space for defense purposes TOKYO - North Korea lifted a ban on the military use of space for national defense purposes by amending its space development law in 2022, analysis by 38 North, a U.S.-based organization monitoring the nuclear-armed nation revealed Sunday. Language opposing the militarization of space and limiting its use to peaceful purposes was removed, while the revised law includes a warning that countermeasures will be taken against any country attempting unfriendly acts, the analysis said. ---------- Defense tech subsidies for Japan universities totaled 2.7 bil. yen TOKYO - Japanese universities have obtained a total of around 2.7 billion yen ($19 million) over nine years since the Defense Ministry started subsidizing security-related technology in fiscal 2015, a Kyodo News tally showed Sunday. The result suggests that domestic universities, particularly those outside Tokyo, are seeking research funds amid budget constraints, despite growing criticism of the government's eagerness to expand defense spending to strengthen its capabilities. ---------- Japan, South Korea open tourist fast-track entry system for ties anniv. TOKYO - Japan and South Korea on Sunday opened dedicated entry lanes for tourists visiting each other's countries at four airports, marking the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties. The lanes were implemented to improve convenience for inbound travelers by speeding up the immigration process. They will remain in use through June 30 at four airports -- Haneda in Tokyo, Fukuoka in southwestern Japan, Gimpo in Seoul and Gimhae in Busan. ---------- Japan prisons to place more focus on rehabilitation than punishment TOKYO - An amendment to the Penal Code placing greater emphasis on rehabilitation efforts in prison took effect Sunday, marking the first time changes have been made to the forms of punishment under Japan's more than a century-old crime laws. Imprisonment is no longer divided into the categories of with and without labor, and prison work is no longer mandatory for inmates, allowing more time to be allocated for rehabilitative guidance and education to reduce recidivism, according to the Justice Ministry. ---------- Man held for upskirt video at popular spot, police warn foreigners NARA, Japan - A 59-year-old Japanese man was arrested Saturday for allegedly taking an upskirt video of a woman at Nara Park, a popular tourist spot, police said, warning that foreign visitors may be targeted in similar incidents. The man, who claims to be unemployed and resides in Osaka Prefecture, has admitted to the charges, saying that posting such videos on YouTube increases views and boosts revenue, according to the police. ---------- Baseball: Reyes' homer gives Nippon Ham 2nd straight walk-off win KITAHIROSHIMA, Japan - Franmil Reyes hit a walk-off solo home run as the Nippon Ham Fighters completed a three-game sweep of the Lotte Marines with a 1-0 victory Sunday. The Pacific League-leading Fighters celebrated their second consecutive "sayonara" win after the slugger from the Dominican Republic belted the opposite-field shot to right leading off the bottom of the ninth inning at Es Con Field Hokkaido. Video: Ceremony held to celebrate opening of Nagoya's IG Arena
Nikkei Asia
2 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
US pushes Asian allies, China defense chief absent: 5 Shangri-La takeaways
SINGAPORE -- The Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's biggest defense conference, concluded on Sunday against the backdrop of a deepening U.S.-China rivalry with Washington doubling down on security commitments in the Indo-Pacific. Making his debut at the forum, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a combative address casting Beijing as the region's largest threat. China's defense chief was absent from the annual summit for the first time since 2019, leaving no senior figure to respond directly. But its foreign ministry hit back, calling Hegseth's remarks "steeped in provocations and instigation."
