Japan’s critical infrastructure and government administrative data depend on the cloud services of major US IT companies, raising concerns about the risk of data disclosure under US law. As it is considered difficult for Japan to restore operations independently in the event of a system failure, concerns about a digital colony are growing.
It has been pointed out that much of Japan’s critical infrastructure and government administrative data has been entrusted to the cloud services of US companies. The data reportedly includes My Number data, the Basic Resident Register, and even administrative data held by the Ministry of Defense and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, prompting scrutiny of the extent of this dependence alongside the convenience of moving to the cloud.
It has been pointed out that the handling of such data could create a risk of disclosure under US laws and regulations. While the shift to digital services continues, concerns are growing over the protection of privacy and state secrets.
There is a view that Japan has limited capacity to restore operations independently when a system failure occurs, leaving it vulnerable to the influence of other countries’ laws and legal precedents. The government and companies may be considering measures to establish systems for addressing these risks.