Japan, 8 ASEAN Countries Agree to Bolster Cybersecurity Cooperation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Japan and eight member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed on Thursday, October 5, 2023, to boost cybersecurity cooperation in the private sector. This commitment marked the 50 years of Japan-ASEAN friendship and cooperation in 2023.

The International Conference on the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Community in Tokyo, which brought together various stakeholders, including NGOs, concluded with the commitment amid growing concerns over China's alleged involvement in diverse hacking activities.

According to Japan's National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity as the event’s organizer, the eight ASEAN are Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The two-day conference until Friday, October 6 featured panel discussions with experts and cybersecurity companies presenting their initiatives. The conference also offered opportunities for collaboration.

Japan is seeking to strengthen ties with partners to counter alleged cyber attacks by China and its growing influence, as governments around the world seek to improve national cyber defenses and reduce potential hacking vulnerabilities in the public and private sectors.

Japan and ASEAN upgraded their ties to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" in September 2023, since their partnership began in 1973. Japan is committed to helping ASEAN members improve their cybersecurity as part of the framework.

At the conference, Japan’s Minister of Digital Affairs Taro Kono expressed the country's ambition to achieve a free, fair, and secure cyberspace domain by working with ASEAN members to contribute to international peace and security.

ANTARA

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