
Japan's Resonac to close graphite electrode plants in China, Malaysia
TOKYO -- Japan's Resonac Holdings will quit Chinese and Southeast Asian production of graphite electrodes for steelmakers, the company said Thursday, scaling back in a bid to improve margins that have been squeezed by an influx of low-priced Chinese parts.
Graphite electrodes are used mainly in electric arc furnaces, which melt scrap iron using heat from an electrical current. Resonac is a major producer, with annual capacity totaling 210,000 tonnes across six manufacturing sites worldwide. The company will liquidate its subsidiaries in China and Malaysia, leaving it with four sites in Japan, the U.S., Austria and Spain.

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Kyodo News
an hour ago
- Kyodo News
FOCUS: Japan pushes preemptive cyber defense, calls on firms to act
By Takaki Tominaga, KYODO NEWS - 14 minutes ago - 13:18 | All, Japan With a national election nearing, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government rushed to enact cyber defense legislation in May, aiming to show leadership after a series of serious attacks exposed major digital vulnerabilities. The legislation marks a bold shift from a reactive to a preemptive cyber defense posture. As threats from state-backed hackers grow, the private sector is being urged to take more proactive steps to protect key systems and sensitive industrial data. Most of Japan's infrastructure -- such as energy, transport and communications -- is run by private firms, where safety risks remain. As the assets are targets for cyberattacks, the government stresses that private-sector cooperation is vital. The government is expected to continue working on cybersecurity regardless of the outcome of the upcoming House of Councillors election, as it plans to draw up a new strategy by the end of this year in a bid to introduce a full-fledged preemptive defense system by 2027. The legislation allows the government to track basic data on online communications in Japan and take early action to shut down harmful servers, using police and the Self-Defense Forces, while obliging companies to report cyberattacks. Pacific Square, an advisory firm providing strategic analysis for business leaders, said the law encourages cross-border collaboration, underscoring Japan's intention to play a more assertive role in shaping international cybersecurity standards. Japan has come under cyber threats mainly from China, North Korea and Russia, along with criminal groups, said Michael Daniel, CEO of the Cyber Threat Alliance, a nonprofit organization that helps the private sector share intelligence to safeguard clients and themselves. One serious warning came around 2019. A group called "MirrorFace," also known as "Earth Kasha," began attacking computer systems in critical sectors, including semiconductors, IT and academia, by taking advantage of weak spots in the software. Japanese authorities suspect the attacks were organized with Chinese involvement. In an apparent response, the industry ministry is trying to more than double the number of trained workers, from 24,000 to 50,000, by 2030. An expert at NEC Corp., an information technology giant, said in a recent interview that it is now easier than ever to launch a cyberattack, as tools for hacking and online scams are available on websites, even to people with little or no computer skills. Takahiro Kakumaru, director of cyber intelligence at NEC's cybersecurity technology department, said, "A number of groups compete to deliver more user-friendly ransomware products with a high success rate at a reasonable price." With hackers using artificial intelligence to carry out more attacks at once, NEC plans to use AI to fight back. The new system can contribute to protecting social infrastructure and government agencies from the year through March 2026. Noboru Nakatani, chief security officer of NEC and a former executive committee member of Interpol, said the goal is for Japan's online safety to reach a level "on par" with that of the United States through the company's initiative. NEC has joined the Cyber Threat Alliance, led by Daniel, a former special assistant to the U.S. president and cybersecurity coordinator, as strengthening cross-sector security measures through cooperation between firms has become increasingly important. Private organizations can improve their cyber defenses by adopting basic practices. For example, they should use two-step logins instead of just passwords and ensure crucial information is locked or encrypted, making it harder for hackers to read or steal. Another useful method is called "microsegmentation," meaning the network is divided into smaller parts. Even if hackers break in, they can access only a limited area, reducing the impact on the rest of the system, Kakumaru said. Japanese companies are also being prompted to work with partners both at home and abroad to exchange cyber threat information like hash values -- digital fingerprints that help find and identify harmful software. Daniel said the "real opportunity exists in building better connections" between Japanese and U.S. industries to boost cybersecurity collaboration, adding even solid intergovernmental ties still have room for improvement. Related coverage: Tokyo police wary of lone-wolf attacks as election campaigning begins New Japan law allows preemptive defense of infrastructure cyberattack Japan launches economic security clearance system amid privacy woes


Asahi Shimbun
3 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Taiwan adds China's Huawei and SMIC to export control list
A customer carries his purchased Huawei product outside a Huawei store after he attended the Huawei new product launch conference in Beijing on Sept. 25, 2023. (AP Photo) TAIPEI--Taiwan's Commerce Ministry has added Chinese chipmakers Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) to its export control list, as trade and technology frictions between the self-ruled island, China and the United States increase. Inclusion on the 'strategic high-tech commodities' list means Taiwanese companies will need to obtain export permits before selling goods to the respective companies. Other entities on the list include organizations such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda, as well as other companies in China, Iran and elsewhere. The export control entities list was last updated on Sunday. Neither Huawei nor SMIC initially commented on their inclusion. Huawei and SMIC have both been sanctioned by the U.S. The two companies are producing China's most advanced homegrown artificial intelligence chips in an effort to compete with U.S.-based Nvidia and supply Chinese tech firms with the much-needed chips amid export curbs. Taiwan is home the world's largest chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), a major supplier for Nvidia. Last November, the U.S. ordered TSMC to halt supplies of certain advanced chips to Chinese customers as part of broader efforts to restrict China's access to cutting-edge technologies. China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. The U.S. is Taiwan's biggest unofficial ally and arms seller.


Japan Today
8 hours ago
- Japan Today
Japan pushes preemptive cyber defense; calls on firms to act
By Takaki Tominaga With a national election nearing, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government rushed to enact cyber defense legislation in May, aiming to show leadership after a series of serious attacks exposed major digital vulnerabilities. The legislation marks a bold shift from a reactive to a preemptive cyber defense posture. As threats from state-backed hackers grow, the private sector is being urged to take more proactive steps to protect key systems and sensitive industrial data. Most of Japan's infrastructure -- such as energy, transport and communications -- is run by private firms, where safety risks remain. As the assets are targets for cyberattacks, the government stresses that private-sector cooperation is vital. The government is expected to continue working on cybersecurity regardless of the outcome of the upcoming House of Councillors election, as it plans to draw up a new strategy by the end of this year in a bid to introduce a full-fledged preemptive defense system by 2027. The legislation allows the government to track basic data on online communications in Japan and take early action to shut down harmful servers, using police and the Self-Defense Forces, while obliging companies to report cyberattacks. Pacific Square, an advisory firm providing strategic analysis for business leaders, said the law encourages cross-border collaboration, underscoring Japan's intention to play a more assertive role in shaping international cybersecurity standards. Japan has come under cyber threats mainly from China, North Korea and Russia, along with criminal groups, said Michael Daniel, CEO of the Cyber Threat Alliance, a nonprofit organization that helps the private sector share intelligence to safeguard clients and themselves. One serious warning came around 2019. A group called "MirrorFace," also known as "Earth Kasha," began attacking computer systems in critical sectors, including semiconductors, IT and academia, by taking advantage of weak spots in the software. Japanese authorities suspect the attacks were organized with Chinese involvement. In an apparent response, the industry ministry is trying to more than double the number of trained workers, from 24,000 to 50,000, by 2030. An expert at NEC Corp., an information technology giant, said in a recent interview that it is now easier than ever to launch a cyberattack, as tools for hacking and online scams are available on websites, even to people with little or no computer skills. Takahiro Kakumaru, director of cyber intelligence at NEC's cybersecurity technology department, said, "A number of groups compete to deliver more user-friendly ransomware products with a high success rate at a reasonable price." With hackers using artificial intelligence to carry out more attacks at once, NEC plans to use AI to fight back. The new system can contribute to protecting social infrastructure and government agencies from the year through March 2026. Noboru Nakatani, chief security officer of NEC and a former executive committee member of Interpol, said the goal is for Japan's online safety to reach a level "on par" with that of the United States through the company's initiative. NEC has joined the Cyber Threat Alliance, led by Daniel, a former special assistant to the U.S. president and cybersecurity coordinator, as strengthening cross-sector security measures through cooperation between firms has become increasingly important. Private organizations can improve their cyber defenses by adopting basic practices. For example, they should use two-step logins instead of just passwords and ensure crucial information is locked or encrypted, making it harder for hackers to read or steal. Another useful method is called "microsegmentation," meaning the network is divided into smaller parts. Even if hackers break in, they can access only a limited area, reducing the impact on the rest of the system, Kakumaru said. Japanese companies are also being prompted to work with partners both at home and abroad to exchange cyber threat information like hash values -- digital fingerprints that help find and identify harmful software. Daniel said the "real opportunity exists in building better connections" between Japanese and U.S. industries to boost cybersecurity collaboration, adding even solid intergovernmental ties still have room for improvement. © KYODO