Japan on Wednesday linked more than 200 cyberattacks over the past five years targeting the country's national security and high technology data to a Chinese hacking group, MirrorFace, detailing their tactics and calling on government agencies and businesses to reinforce preventive measures.
The National Police Agency said its analysis on the targets, methods and infrastructure of the cyberattacks by MirrorFace from 2019 to 2024 concluded they were systematic attacks linked to China with an aim of stealing data on Japanese national security and advanced technology.
The targets of the Chinese government-led cyberattacks included Japan's Foreign and Defense ministries, the country's space agency and individuals including politicians, journalists, private companies and think tanks related to advanced technology, the NPA said.
Experts have repeatedly raised concerns about the vulnerability of Japan’s cybersecurity, especially as the country steps up its defense capabilities and works more closely with the United States and other partners to strengthen cyber defenses. Japan has taken steps but experts say more work is needed.
MirrorFace sent emails with attachments containing malware to targeted organizations and individuals to view data saved on computers mainly from December 2019 to July 2023, often from Gmail and Microsoft Outlook addresses using stolen identities, the NPA investigation found.
The emails typically used as subjects key words such as “Japan-U.S. alliance,” “Taiwan Strait,” “Russia-Ukraine war” and “free and open Indo-Pacific," and included an invitation for a study panel, references and a list of panelists, the NPA said.
In another tactic, the hackers targeted Japanese organizations in areas of aerospace, semiconductors, information and communications from February to October 2023 by exploiting vulnerabilities in virtual private networks to gain unauthorized access to information.
The attacks included one on the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency, or JAXA, which acknowledged in June it had suffered a series of cyberattacks since 2023, though sensitive information related to rockets, satellites and defense was not affected. It was investigating to take preventive measures.
Last year, a cyberattack paralyzed operations at a container terminal at a port in the city of Nagoya for three days.
More recently, Japan Airlines was hit by a cyberattack on Christmas, causing delays and cancellations to more than 20 domestic flights, though the carrier was able to stop the onslaught and restore its systems hours later and there was no impact on flight safety.
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16 Comments
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BigP
It is nearly always North Korea, China or Russia. Why bother pretending that they are our friends.
quercetum
How about improving your cyber security system?
kibousha
Funny how a country of 1 billion people, all they're good at is innovation of stealing & scamming.
OssanAmerica
China waging a war in every which way except for actual shooting. Continuing to deny it is also part of the Art of War.
spinningplates
Oh no! Chinese hackers...Mi6 have been tracking them for years. The infamous Lmfao, and his cousin Lmbao, accompanied by his sister, Lmao!!
elephant200
Then don't mess with the Chinese !
Wesley
The china-nese are already a mess.
elephant200
OssanAmerica: In the Chinese War philosophy : "The Art of War" defining wars can be continue for many years or generations for a very little thing.
If the British, French and the Americans came to China with a humble approach, instead of arrogance,all of these shall not occuring. But I think if the Americans never came to China and not knowing each other, we could have very peaceful days !
Wesley
Every china-nese owes his life to the Americans because they won WW2 for you. Otherwise, most of you would have been speaking Japanese or already dead.
OssanAmerica
https://scholar.smu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&context=hum_sci_history_etds
oldman_13
If it's not mainland Chinese stomping on Japanese flags and business owners bragging about beating up Japanese people, it's these cyber punks that are trying to destabilize Japan through hacking.
Speed
Do any of the prime ministers ever sit down with Xi, "What exactly are you guys doing to stop these cyber attacks on Japan? I thought you guys wanted to normalize relations."
NihonRyu
Recent revelations about Chinese hacking group MirrorFace targeting Japan’s national security and advanced technology sectors are deeply troubling. With over 200 confirmed cyberattacks in five years, the Chinese government’s blatant disregard for international norms is undeniable. Yet, the issue goes far beyond hacking.
1. Unequal Treatment and Double Standards
Japan continues to allow Chinese nationals to purchase property freely within our borders, while Japanese citizens cannot buy land in China due to restrictive laws. This imbalance is unacceptable and undermines Japan’s sovereignty. Why should we open our doors to foreign investors from a country that actively denies us the same opportunities?
Moreover, the recent arrests of top Japanese business executives, such as those from Astellas, under dubious charges in China, demonstrate a troubling pattern of targeting Japanese individuals without substantial evidence. These actions are not isolated incidents but part of a larger strategy to intimidate and weaken Japan’s global standing.
2. Threats to Japanese Safety
We cannot forget the disturbing reports of violence against Japanese citizens in China, including attacks on schoolchildren. Such actions, coupled with polls showing significant anti-Japanese sentiment among the Chinese populace, raise serious questions about China's commitment to fostering peaceful relations.
3. Cyberattacks as Modern Warfare
The cyberattacks on Japan’s government, businesses, and infrastructure represent a form of modern warfare, aiming to undermine our national security. Allowing this to continue unchallenged is not an option. Japan must:
Strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure immediately.
Collaborate more closely with international partners like the U.S. and NATO to counteract these persistent threats.
4. Time for Japan to Take a Stronger Stance
Japan should take inspiration from former U.S. President Donald Trump’s "America First" policies and implement a "Japan First" strategy to protect our nation’s interests. This includes:
Restricting Foreign Ownership of Land: Prohibit property purchases by individuals from countries that deny reciprocal rights to Japanese citizens.
Reevaluating Visa Policies: Stop offering free visas to nations that do not respect Japan’s sovereignty or contribute to mutual trust.
Economic Decoupling: Diversify supply chains away from China to reduce dependency on an unreliable partner.
Enhanced National Security Measures: Invest heavily in cybersecurity and intelligence-sharing initiatives with trusted allies.
5. China Is Not Acting Like a Responsible Global Citizen
China’s actions—from cyberattacks to coercive economic practices—are not those of a nation seeking peaceful coexistence. If Beijing continues to act as a destabilizing force, it is Japan’s duty to stand firm and protect its sovereignty, citizens, and future.
Japan has long been known for its diplomacy and restraint, but this must not be mistaken for weakness. By addressing these challenges decisively, we can ensure that Japan remains secure and prosperous in an increasingly uncertain world.
Let’s prioritize Japan’s interests and push back against those who seek to exploit our nation
oldman_13
To add to NihonRyu's excellent observations, the Chinese government seems to be toning its anti-Japanese stance down just a little bit most likely due to Trump becoming president, and engaging in talks with Japan. But Japan does need to get tougher with China in all ways. A recent China Observer video opened my eyes to the depravity of the anti-Japanese mindset among many mainland Chinese. The video clearly showed small school children being indoctrinated to hate Japan, which continues through adulthood. The video also showed Chinese tourists defrauding a Japanese business in Japan and then later bragging about it on social media about how they stuck it to the "invaders." Japan must not allow mainland Chinese to destabilize Japan.
theFu
Funny how a country of 1 billion people, all they're good at is stealing & scamming.
Fixed it for you. The Chinese are so used to scamming their own govt that it is a way of life. Basically, see what you can get away with, until the govt decides to do something about it - hopefully, it will be done to someone else, not you.
Really, with WTO needs to add mandates for extradition of criminals to their required membership. This way Russia and China would need to decide if they want trade enough to hand over their criminals to other states. When that starts happening, then the criminals will have real reasons NOT to attack people, govts, and companies outside China, since they would be caught easily due to China's firewall. Make no mistake, The CCP knows all their criminals using the internet and they choose to look the other way, since it benefits their govt. Until that benefit has a very high cost, it will continue.
And let's be very clear. Not all Chinese are cyber criminals, but when you have 1.2B people, having 500K cyber criminals isn't unexpected.
As for scamming others, just look at the behavior of Chinese Aunties in public. Regardless of their economic situation, they will fight - literally FIGHT - for free or deals from stores or the govt. We saw during Covid how free govt food was redirected via the local Auntie brigade to other places and sold. I don't recall ever seeing any of them taken to prison.
P_C
Well, gotta admit the group name "MirrorFace" sounds kinda cool.