lished in September 2016 and new services adopting the certification method commercialized by this Organization were commenced in October 2016.

## (2) Promoting the Widespread Adoption of ICT Best Practices that Help Resolve Regional Issues

Respective regions are making efforts to resolve various issues Japan faces (such as a declining population, a falling birthrate and aging population, shortages of health practitioners, need to enhance disaster preparedness, and decaying regional economies). MIC broadly invites applications nationwide and awards prizes to leading examples of ICT use and application that contribute to revitalizing local economies. MIC places importance on ICT use that contributes to resolving regional issues and revitalizing communities and commenced the ICT Use Award Conducive to Local Revitalization in FY2016, in lieu of the Local Computerization Award that had been granted since FY2014.

## (3) Establishing Support Systems through the Deployment of ICT Experts Directed at Regional Stimulation

MIC has been conducting initiatives to build up local economies and communities by making use of ICT since FY2007. Activities include sending Regional ICT Advisors — experts with knowledge and insight into region

### 3. Promoting Cybersecurity Policy

## (1) Examinations of Execution Plans for Cybersecurity Measures

The Cybersecurity Strategic Headquarters, which was established under the Cabinet in January 2015 based on the Basic Act on Cybersecurity, formulated the Fourth Basic Policy of Critical Information Infrastructure Protection in April 2017. This Basic Policy is based on the concept of mission assurance to ensure safe and continuous provision of Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) services. Additionally in the same month, the Headquarters formulated the Cybersecurity Experts Development Program with the aim of developing an environment for creating cyberspace as the basis for safe economic and social activities.

Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, MIC released the IoT Cybersecurity Action Program 2017 in January 2017 for ensuring cybersecurity suited to the IoT/AI era.

## (2) Strengthening Cyber Security Policy

In FY2013, MIC started to conduct CYDER (CYber Defense Exercise with Recurrence), a hands-on cyber defense exercise that uses a large computer environment to simulate networks in an organization with thousands of employees. CYDER's purpose is to improve the AI ICT development — to regions motivated to revive their communities through ICT, providing assistance to build success models and propagating the results of these efforts nationwide. MIC dispatched Regional ICT Advisors 268 times in FY2016.

## (4) Contribution to Building Recovery Communities through ICT Infrastructure Establishment and the Restoration of ICT Infrastructure

Of the areas struck by the Great East Japan Earthquake, the tsunami washed away or severely damaged local infrastructure in many localities. The construction of recovery communities, including relocating communities to higher ground, is going ahead based on recovery plans by local governments in affected areas, in tandem with other recovery efforts. The local governments in affected areas need to establish ICT infrastructure, including ultra-high-speed broadband, environments for receiving broadcasts, and communications infrastructure and systems for public facilities, in order to help citizens smoothly start new lives and facilitate recovery using ICT infrastructure. MIC implemented the “ICT Infrastructure Establishment Project for Building Recovery Communities” also in FY2017 to assist local governments that are establishing ICT infrastructure together with new community building toward recovery.

cyber attack response skills of LAN administrators at government administration offices and key infrastructure enterprises. To address the current situation where users have problems detecting and eliminating malware infections on their own, MIC, in partnership with internet service providers (ISPs) and security vendors, has been involved with ACTIVE (Advanced Cyber Threats response Initiative) since FY2013. ACTIVE is a joint public-private project that prevents and eradicates internet users' malware infections.

With respect to IoT, the IoT Security Working Group at the IoT Acceleration Consortium, in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), started formulating security guidelines for the design, manufacturing, and network connection of IoT devices in January 2016 and released the formulated guidelines in July 2016.

At the same time, since cooperation with other countries is essential to establish meaningful cybersecurity, MIC has been actively participating in discussions at international conferences and cyber dialogues and has been collecting and transmitting information with the aim of contributing to forming an international consensus on cybersecurity.

### 4. Establishing Barrier-free Information Environments

IC runs a subsidy program to promote the development and provision of communications and broadcasting services for people with challenges, with the goal of eliminating the digital divide due to disabilities and aging. Under the program, MIC assists with necessary funds for enterprises or other organizations developing or providing communications and broadcasting services to people with physical disabilities (such as phone-relay