Joint Press Release with the National Information Security Center and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and CommunicationsFifth Japan-ASEAN Information Security Policy Meeting was Held in Tokyo

Date and place:

October 10 and October 11, 2012, 10:00-17:00, at Keio Plaza Hotel, Tokyo

Hosts:

NISC, MIC, and METI

Co-chairs:

Japan (Mr. Ryozo Hayashi, Director of the Meiji Institute for Global Affairs) and Cambodia (Mr. Mao Chakrya, Director General of Posts and Telecommunications Department, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, and Director General of the Telecommunications Regulator)

Attendees:

Vice ministers, director-generals, deputy director-generals, and other officials from ministries related to economy, investment, and information and communications in ASEAN countries (see Appendix 2(PDF:155KB) (in Japanese)); Director-generals, deputy director-generals, and other officials from Japan's Cabinet Secretariat, MIC and METI

First meeting:

February 2009 Tokyo

Second meeting:

March 2010 Bangkok, Thailand

Third meeting:

March 2011 Tokyo

Fourth meeting:

November 2011 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Japan and ASEAN countries made presentations and exchanged opinions on the current efforts taken for a campaign titled "A joint initiative in raising information security awareness in Japan and ASEAN countries," which Japan and ASEAN countries agreed at the Fourth Security Policy Meeting to launch in the second week of October 2012. They also shared views on the further enhancement of international collaboration and efforts (for details, see Appendix 1(PDF:157KB) (in Japanese)). The major outcomes of the Policy Meeting are described below:

1) Promoting efforts for raising information security awareness in Japan and ASEAN countries

Recognizing the significance of raising the awareness of information security for improving information security levels in Japan and ASEAN countries, the countries agreed to evaluate the joint efforts taken for such awareness raising in and to continue such efforts next year and thereafter.

2) Considering a Japan-ASEAN information sharing system for information security, and conducting a communication check

Japan and ASEAN countries shared a common view on the necessity of an information sharing system for further advancement of mutual-understanding and trust-building among the countries as well as for collaboratively addressing information security incidents that might occur. Based on this view, the countries made it clear that they would set up a communication channel among themselves.

At the same time, they agreed to carry out a communication check to assess the effectiveness of such a channel from the end of this year.

3) Further enhancement of collaboration in the field of information security

Japan introduced the efforts it has taken as follows, and Japan and ASEAN countries confirmed that they will continue enhanced global collaboration in order to establish safe and secure ICT and business environments in Japan and the ASEAN region:

• Research and development of cyber attack prediction and technology for quickly responding to such attacks, and information security measures for smartphones;
• Providing ASEAN countries with a benchmark for information security measures (ISM), and building Japan and ASEAN cooperation, including supporting the creation of a computer security incident response team (CSIRT) and providing collaborative programs for such creation; and
• Japan's endeavors toward providing portal sites for information security, capacity building, information security for control systems, and frameworks for information sharing among essential infrastructures.

The Sixth Policy Meeting will be held in the Republic of the Philippines.

October 11, 2012

• IT Security Policy Office, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
• National Information Security Center, Cabinet Secretariat
• IT Security Office, Advanced Information Systems and Software Division, Information and Communication Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication