Japan OKs bill to make crucial economic security info classified

Japan's Cabinet on Tuesday approved a bill to establish a "security clearance" system that marks important government information related to economic matters as classified to prevent critical data from being leaked to overseas entities.

LDP: Please don't publicize the secret that BOJ quantitative easing monetary policy, low unemployment data, corporate profits, Nikkei market boom, inbound tourist influx, Olympic and Expo extravaganzas have very very little , or nothing, to do with the welfare of the citizens of Japan.

Doesn't sound very democratic to me!

Goodness knows what they wanna keep hidden. Let yr imagination go crazy, it's probably correct.

 alcohol habits and the nationality of their spouses, being scrutinized, with their consent.

That alcohol habits is not necessary because personal preference, can be also influenced by working environment. Japan workplace love nomikai.

https://soranews24.com/2022/06/25/personal-information-of-everyone-in-amagasaki-city-lost-by-person-who-passed-out-drunk-on-street/

Is this to make gdp and debt classified? I kid, I kid.

The part that will likely have the roughest time is the term, "Data related to . . ." As vague and ambigious as big as the sky above us. And begs the overall question over whether it will be artfully and skillfully described by lawmakers inside statute, or left to the government to improvise. The former will take more time to absolve, but will likely be received better by voters. The latter invites a bureaucracy to 'make it up as they go along,' for the sake of convenience. We await further word.

So they have changed the constitution without changing the constitution. It’s more like the government are trying to suppress anybody that asks it to many questions.

Doesn't sound very democratic to me!

Every G7 country does the same thing.

""Government officials and employees at private companies subject to the security clearance system could undergo vetting that would involve personal information, such as criminal records, alcohol habits and the nationality of their spouses, being scrutinized, with their consent.""

I don't think Japan has anything to worry about in this area

1- Criminal Records, 50% will pass!?

2- Alcohol, 20% will pass

3- Sexhara! 50% will pass

4- Spouse Nationality , 90% will pass

Maybe they should classify information,how Japan has failed Japanese

Goodness knows what they wanna keep hidden. Let yr imagination go crazy, it's probably correct.

I'll give you an idea. In the US the layout of electrical lines, substations and switch yards are public knowledge. There have been occasions where small groups of domestic terrorists have studied these documents to determine which switch yards to attack to do the most widespread damage to the grid. There are active discussions about removing this sort of information from the public realm. Likewise for oil and gas pipelines and water utility infrastructure. Those are just a few examples. Port and airport infrastructure would also be likely candidates for additional security measures.

There are some things that government would like to keep secret from potential enemies.

There are some things that government would like to keep secret from potential voters.

One of these is probably a good idea.

Japanese have no secret,that they live 5 minutes too oblivion by either Russian, Chinese or North Korea,I can make a gps map of Tokyo in minute

Data related to cutting-edge technologies, critical infrastructure, or the prevention of cyberattacks is expected to be treated as important on economic security grounds, the government said.

A country must be able to protect it's secrets. Technology and infrastructure and cyber attack defenses are crucial. This bill is a little suspicious though. Why blanket all this under economic matters? That is too broad of a category. Technically speaking, everything falls into the category of economic matters.

Another great 'pathway' for more Govt. corruption, transparency and accountability being wiped away!

Another great 'pathway' for more Govt. corruption, transparency and accountability being wiped away!

Aka protecting the country against foreign interference.

Data related to cutting-edge technologies, critical infrastructure, or the prevention of cyberattacks is expected to be treated as important on economic security grounds, the government said.

"Data related to cutting-edge-technologies" - Surely that's already covered by existing laws, isn't it? Or perhaps it means retired engineers who are taking their working experience to a senior career chapter to China - I've read it is not uncommon. If that's what is meant, how about addressing it specifically, and maybe consider a little carrot with that stick?

"Critical infrastructure" - Sure, I could see that. I just hope the 小平市ふれあい下水道館 (Kodaira sewerage museum), a good place just to sit and think, doesn't become off limits - that would really stink.

"[info about] the prevention of cyberattacks" - A not infrequent reaction to being notified about terrible cybersecurity is to try to kill the messenger, which is ultimately scoring an own goal. In response to that, there are loosely established protocols in the US for finding security holes, reporting them, and and reacting to those reports. I'd like to here more from Kishida about an overall approach to improving cybersecurity than a pronouncement that sounds like a focus on prosecuting anybody looking into shabby security.

Under the envisaged legislation, the government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida would be able to designate data deemed crucial as confidential, based on its judgment that the potential leakage of such information could undermine Japan's national and economic security.

At least change this to a joint diet committee for security that has members from each party.

Or, better yet, run through a national security court where a panel of judges determines if the subject is indeed economic security rather than political embarrassment or overkill.

"Data related to cutting-edge-technologies" - Surely that's already covered by existing laws, isn't it?

What would make you think that? Data laws are still being refined, digital technology is one of the newest areas of law. Surely it's not entirely covered and needs to be refined further.

Copying China (as Western nations are) - all bad news and stats are secret, so all news and stats are good and the government is clearly wonderful. Now go queue for your food rations.

It's quite important for the tech community to know what goes wrong and why when stuff fails. That will get hushed up.

What they may target first are academics finding bugs in stuff and announcing them. Even if they give software companies time to fix them, stuff doesn't all get patched (or can't be) and the vulns get exploited. Especially if they are in core bits of the protocols.

Expect a huge crackdown on tech in the near future. Becoming a coder may not be a good idea unless you like being monitored by the state as a potential threat.