Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed Saturday to boost cybersecurity cooperation, following Japan’s enactment of a law allowing the government to monitor online communications amid rising cyber threats.
After their talks in Singapore, meanwhile, Nakatani did not clarify whether Hegseth had requested Japan pay more for defense during their meeting. U.S. President Donald Trump views the long-standing security treaty with Japan as unfair and one-sided.
Nakatani and Hegseth met on the sidelines of the annual Asia Security Summit, better known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, being held for three days from Friday. It was their first in-person meeting since March in Tokyo.
In May, Japan enacted a law introducing “active cyberdefense” measures aimed at preempting cyberattacks, enabling police and the Self-Defense Forces to counter threats by accessing and neutralizing the source servers.
