Japan's cabinet approved a ¥10bn draw on its reserve funds for cybersecurity on Friday, the finance minister said at his post-cabinet press conference. The decision was taken at the cabinet meeting held just before the briefing, and the minister framed it as a way to move quickly on security measures.
The minister said a cabinet ministers' meeting on cybersecurity was due to compile an emergency package the same day. The reserve use was therefore decided ahead of the package's formal adoption.
What the money is earmarked for
The minister named three items. The largest is ¥4.1bn for equipment and materials for police cybersecurity work. Another ¥3.8bn goes to strengthening Digital Agency systems. The remaining named item is ¥2bn for the cost of AI-assisted vulnerability checks on key systems at government bodies.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| AI-assisted vulnerability checks on key government systems | ¥2bn |
| Police cybersecurity equipment and materials | ¥4.1bn |
| Digital Agency system security | ¥3.8bn |
The three amounts as stated by the minister do not add up to the ¥10bn total, and he did not say how the remainder is to be used.
What the decision does and does not cover
The minister said the reserve would let the relevant ministries work together on security measures. His statement does not mention contracts, suppliers, tender timetables or spending to date.
The next concrete marker is the emergency package due from the cabinet ministers' meeting on cybersecurity. The minister did not describe its contents at the briefing.