- These types of cyberattack are causing major impacts on economic and social activities by halting production activities, causing service disruption, doing financial damage, and stealing personal and confidential information. 3. 2 Issues and direction—Cybersecurity for All - In the future, all stakeholders, including those that previously had no connections with cyberspace, will participate in cyberspace in one way or another. Given this situation, it is necessary to pursue initiatives aimed at ensuring cybersecurity “which no one left behind,” in response to digitalization. - With this mindset, Japan will push forward with measures to ensure “a free, fair and secure cyberspace” in an increasingly uncertain environment, in keeping with the understanding of issues and direction stated below. - This understanding and direction concern the aims set forth in the Basic Act—“enhancing socioeconomic vitality and sustainable development,” “realizing a digital society where people can live with a sense of safety and security,” and “contributing to the peace and security of the international community and Japan’s national security”—and in light of an understanding of the current situation as stated above, the idea must be kept in mind in implementing measures to achieve any of these aims. (1) Advancing digital transformation and cybersecurity simultaneously - Currently, discussions are underway to establish the Digital Agency to lead the effort to create a digital society. Along with other initiatives, this represents a perfect opportunity to greatly promote digitalization in the economy and society as a whole. - On the other hand, unless awareness of cybersecurity is raised and trust is built in the technological foundation and data that compose cyberspace, participation and commitment will not be gained within the current trend of digitalization, resulting in only achieving superficial digitalization that is not accompanied by real transformation. Conversely, properly addressing risks that change along with digitalization may also lead to increased awareness and trust regarding cybersecurity. - Looking at the activities of individual companies, the ability to respond to IT systems and digitalization is forming a source of added value for operations, products, and services, as the world becomes increasingly digitalized. As such, ensuring cybersecurity will be an activity directly linked to corporate value. Moreover, at a time when speedy and flexible development and response are becoming increasingly necessary, the concept of “Security by Design,” which represents the idea of ensuring cybersecurity in the planning and design stages of operations and systems of products, services, etc., will become more important than ever. It is also believed that digital investments and security measures will become increasingly integrated. 9