Japan and the United States are finalizing a memorandum of understanding to enhance defense cooperation in cybersecurity. The agreement aims to establish consistent security standards for government software procurement, improving the safeguarding of critical infrastructure and reducing risks to socioeconomic activities and confidential data leakage. The Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister of Japan, Yasutoshi Nishimura, is expected to meet with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in Washington to reach a consensus.
The memorandum is based on the revised national security strategies of both countries, emphasizing the importance of cybersecurity. It involves developing a mechanism using software bills of materials (SBOMs) to ensure software suppliers provide safety information. Japan plans to implement a similar system by 2024.
The collaboration will focus on identifying security vulnerabilities in government software, such as file management and remote work applications. Japan also intends to strengthen safety management systems for software suppliers.
This effort establishes safety standards for software in Japanese government procurement, potentially influencing private transactions. The countries aim to expand cybersecurity cooperation to include Australia and India, members of the Quad security framework while enhancing capabilities among allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
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