A U.S. newspaper reported on why Japan is an easy target for cyberattacks. Japan is considered to have limited cyber capabilities and, in 2026, to be one of the countries in Asia facing the highest level of threat. An assessment by IISS previously placed Japan in the lowest group. The influence of its pacifist constitution has also been cited.
Cases of Japanese companies and local governments suffering cyberattacks have continued to emerge, and reports have introduced coverage by the U.S. newspaper The New York Times of the damage caused. Although Japan has a large economy, the underdeveloped state of its domestic digital security environment has been cited as one factor behind its vulnerability to cyberattacks.
According to a Microsoft report, Japan is identified as the country in Asia most frequently exposed to cyberattack threats after Taiwan in 2026.
In a 2021 assessment by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Japan was placed in the lowest group on a three-tier evaluation of cyber capabilities. Its pacifist constitution is said to be one reason the country has avoided an offensive cyber strategy for the Self-Defense Forces.
These findings are reportedly seen as indicating the urgent need to strengthen Japan's cybersecurity.