Japan’s Quest to Attain SDGs Hinges ona Resilient Cybersecurity Ecosystem
INSIGHTS BY: GEORGIA EDELL
SECURITY ADVISORY CONSULTANT
FROST & SULLIVAN JAPANPowering clients to a future shaped by growthThe role of cybersecurity in achieving SDGs for Japan
It is imperative for Japan to develop a resilient cybersecurity ecosystem as the country emphasizes
harnessing the full potential of technologies in its quest to attain The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
Japan’s aggressive promotion of mission-oriented science, technology, and innovation (STI)
policies presents a vivid roadmap for sustainable development goals (SDGs). With Japan’s uniquechallenges—aging population and declining rural communities, the STI policy leverages technologies
to catalyze innovation to drive SDGs, especially numbers nine (build resilient infrastructure), 11(sustainable cities and communities), and 16 (peaceful and inclusive societies).
Additionally, the East Asian nation’s vision for the future—Society 5.0—expedites the use of digitaltechnologies such as the internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) to create humancentered society. The vision (Society 5.0) aligned with the UN’s SDGs strikes a balance between
economic development and resilience and well-being by integrating cyberspace and physical space topromote social transformation.
The massive use of immersive technologies, digital devices, and multiple applications to attain SDGs
and Society 5.0 will increase cyber adversaries’ activities in Japan’s cyberspace. Such applications
require an open network and easy accessibility to databases and applications, which expands attack
surface by increasing exposure to cybercriminals. This compels the Government of Japan (GoJ) andconcerned stakeholders to secure their data and systems.
Besides, Japan is prone to natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods. Hence, it is essential
for the country to build a robust digital infrastructure and adopt a resilient cybersecurity practices. Itwill help the nation to overcome such catastrophes and ensure the success of the SDGs, particularly
numbers nine, 11, and 16.

SDG-9 (BUILD RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE): CLOUDSECURITY IS CRITICAL TO RESILIENT ICTNatural disasters have plagued Japan for centuries. Due to climate change, the number and severityof catastrophes will likely increase in the coming years. As a result, the country must constantly seek
ways to improve the resiliency of its infrastructure.
There is an effort to encourage resilient ICT to improve the physical resiliency of infrastructure.
Natural calamities such as earthquakes and floods can destroy the country’s physical infrastructure,including ICT-related infrastructure. The Resilient ICT Research Center, a part of the National Instituteof Information Communication Technology (NICT), is researching this area. The center explores
autopoietic (self-creating) edge clouds to solve unstable network connections during disasters. Thetechnology essentially uses AI to create a cloud computing system that self-manages and adjusts
resources autonomously to improve resiliency in case of an unstable connection.
Cloud security becomes critical as technology evolves to encourage resiliency, and its (cloud) adoption
becomes even more ubiquitous. There is frequently misunderstanding about who is responsible for
ensuring cloud security, and this lack of clarity leaves many enterprises vulnerable. Cloud service
providers are responsible for protecting the cloud infrastructure, while customers are responsible
for security in the cloud, including workloads, identity, data, and more. Awareness of a shared
responsibility framework is vital to securing the cloud and achieving true sustainability.

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SDG-11 (Sustainable cities and communities): Ensure
cybersecurity in the physical use of ICT
Remote sensing and IoT devices are becoming more widespread to gather data and deliver insights.
In the context of sustainable cities, these devices help provide data on:		
Weather—to help predict typhoons and mitigate heavy rainfall damage.		
Pollen dispersal and air pollution inform on changing air quality.
The urban environment to give insight into people and traffic flows and congestion
to provide data for urban planning and public safety.
These measurements and their indications can help develop sustainable and human-friendly
cities. However, the function of IoT devices and sensors is to send data back to be processed andunderstood, making these devices key targets for hackers to gather digital data. Implementing IoT
devices should be mandatory to protect these devices.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST ) outlines three risk mitigation goals to keep inmind when striving for cybersecurity:
1.

Protect device security

2.

Protect data security

3.

Protect individuals privacy

The consideration of cybersecurity with the deployment of IoT devices can reap maximum benefits
and mitigate data leaks.

SDG-16 (PEACEFUL AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES): CYBERSECURITY
ITSELF CONTRIBUTES TO A MORE PEACEFUL, SUSTAINABLE WORLD
The internet has facilitated a truly connected world. According to the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) World Telecom Database, more than 90% of Japan’s population uses the internet, one ofthe highest rates in the world. However, increasing connectivity also expands the attack surface forcybercriminals.
A major difficulty with cybercrime is that no one is often held accountable. Cybercrime’s anonymity
makes it more appealing, promoting further misuse. Further, inequality in cyber education andawareness means that certain groups are more likely to fall victim to cyberattacks, further widening
the existing digital divide. Cyber security is critical to protect connected systems and encourage freeexchange and connection without excessive risk of attack.
Investing in cybersecurity development and education is essential to upholding a democratic society
and strengthening institutions and global standards. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs andCommunication’s survey in 2021, nearly 90% of respondents felt insecure when using the internet
due to the threat of a leak of personal information. Japan should expand education efforts, especiallyaround common attack vectors like email phishing. In this instance, digital education will enhance
citizens’ knowledge and make them competent while surfing the internet. As a result, it will promoteconnectivity and inclusion and lead the country toward sustainability.

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Conclusion
Japan’s quest to meet Society 5.0 and SDGs has significantly increased the use of IoT and AI. Theincreasing online presence of concerned stakeholders and surging connectivity due to IoT devices
expand the attack surfaces, thereby increasing exposure to cybercriminals. Additionally, the steeply
rising trend of unprecedented ransomware attacks in the country in the past few years alarms thegovernment to secure its cyberspace.
Besides cyber adversaries’ attempt to disrupt Japan’s cybersecurity space, the geological position of
the country also encourages it to secure its digital infrastructure. As the country is prone to naturalcalamities such as frequent tremors and floods, Japan must develop a resilient and robust digital
infrastructure. This will help the nation to overcome such catastrophes and ensure the success ofSociety 5.0 and SDGs.

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