THE IMPLEMENTATION OF JAPAN – U.S. BILATERAL PARTNERSHIP: ENHANCING JAPAN’S NATIONAL SECURITY THROUGH CYBER DEFENSE COOPERATION (2007 – 2013)

Abstract

This research attempts to examine the implementation of defense cooperation between Japan and the United States on cyber security since 2007 until October 2013 as the response of the growing number of cyber-attack in recent years. This research is significant to get in-depth understanding on the implementation of defense cooperation between Japan and the United States on cyber security. It takes the timeframe of 2007 – 2013 because the growing number of cyber-attacks happened in Japan since 2007 but not until 2009 when some of the cyber-attacks came up to public. Since then, some meeting discussions of cyber defense cooperation between Japan – the United States held. This descriptive and analytical research uses the method of Library Research which is analyzing the documents published by both the Government of the U.S. and Government of Japan regarding both countries’ cyber defense cooperation. Generally, since 2007 some cyber-attacks targeted some companies and official’s sites in Japan but in 2009 the issues of cyber-attacks become public known in Japan and in the same year Japan and the United States started to held some meetings focusing on cyber-related issues. In every meeting, both countries discussed how to have deeper and better cyber defense and found the best way to response the growing number of cyber-attack targeting companies’ and vital sites of Japan. However, on October 2013 Japan and the United States signed the Terms of Reference for a new Cyber Defense Policy Working Group in Japan – U.S. Security Consultative Committee (“2+2”) meeting and both countries will continue to coordinating closely within the framework of the U.S. – Japan Alliance.