Negotiations between the Japanese government and the country's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will begin in 2023 to amend the country's laws to allow local experts to conduct "active cyber defense," according to sources cited by The Nikkei newspaper.

Under the pretext of safeguarding the infrastructure of the private sector, the Japanese government wants to create a system that will allow law enforcement to monitor and hack into "intruders'" systems even before they engage in suspicious activity.

Next week, the National Security Strategy and two other security-related documents will be updated, and this initiative will be reflected in them.

According to Japanese media reports, the updated National Security Strategy is expected to list Russia as a country of "serious security concern" to Japan, but it is not anticipated to list China as a "threat".

Last week, speaking virtually at an event in Tokyo, on D, honoring the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi encouraged Tokyo to preserve the two countries' peaceful relationship and not join anti-China political blocs, such as those sponsored by the US, hinting at AUKUS.

Wang noted that “China and Japan should treat each other with sincerity and strive to live together peacefully,” instead of provoking each other’s core interests, including “heavily sensitive issues involving history and Taiwan.” 

Furthermore, the FM highlighted that “the differences that exist between the two sides should be properly dealt with in accordance with the existing consensus, and more new consensuses should be constantly sought,” adding that there is an opportunity “to push China-Japan relations forward in the right direction in a sustained and stable manner.”

Japan will not designate China as a threat

Japanese news agency Kyodo cited government officials who argued that Japan will refrain from labeling China a "threat" in its amended National Security Strategy, which is set to be revised along with two other security-related documents next week.
 
According to the source, Japan's new security paper may still contain the word "threat" in reference to China's August deployment of ballistic missiles into Japan's exclusive economic zone, a label requested by Japanese MPs from the Liberal Democratic Party.

The Japanese government's intentions reflect its desire to retain what relations it still has with China following the Asian nations' first summit in three years in November.