- The National Security Secretariat will be in charge of overall coordination for these initiatives related to national security. Under its coordination, all relevant public and private stakeholders led by NISC with regard to defense, the ministries and agencies responsible for response measures with regard to deterrence, and information gathering and investigative organizations with regard to situational awareness will closely cooperate even during normal times and proceed with the initiatives. When necessary, deliberation and decision will be made at the National Security Council. -As a part of the government’s overall effort concerning national security, the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) will undertake various initiatives based on the National Defense Program Guidelines for FY 2019 and beyond, and fundamentally strengthen cyber defense. (1) Increasing defense capabilities - From the perspective of mission assurance, government agencies and critical infrastructure operators, etc. must continue to advance efforts to ensure cybersecurity. The government will steadily conduct joint exercises by the SDF and US military to defend the critical infrastructure and services their activities depend on. The Ministry of Defense and SDF will strive to fundamentally strengthen cyber defense capability, for example, by enhancing the posture of cyber-related units. - As information crucial to Japan’s national security is being targeted, further measures including risk reduction is needed to protect technologies relevant to our national security, such as technology related to space, nuclear power, and other advanced technology. As for the defense industry in particular, we will advance efforts to maintain security by formulating new information security standards and further strengthening public-private collaboration. Moreover, the government will make further efforts to collaborate and share information and awareness of threat perception with relevant business operators that underpin Japan’s national security, including critical infrastructure operators, industry players in advanced and defense technologies, and research institutions. - We will continue to work together with the international community and implement necessary measures against the activities of terrorist groups exploiting cyberspace. (2) Enhancing deterrence capabilities - Cyberattacks could amount to the use of force or an armed attack19 under international law. Based on this recognition, in order to deter malicious cyber activities and protect the people’s safety and rights, Japan, in close coordination with our ally and like-minded countries even during normal times, will take resolute responses against cyber threats that undermine Japan’s 19 G7 Ise-Shima Summit, G7 Principles and Actions on Cyber (May 2016) 29