"JP-US-EU Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Week for the Indo-Pacific Region" was Held

• * IPA ICSCoE Website

** ASEAN member states, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mongolia and Taiwan

1. Outline of the event

METI and the ICSCoE hosted the JP-US-EU Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Week in collaboration with the US government (DHS/CISA, DOS and DOE, INL) as well as the European Commission (DG CONNECT) from October 24 to 28, 2022 (Hybrid).

Cybersecurity measures are ineffective when implemented independently by a single organization or a single country. To fight the growing threats due to digitalization and interconnectedness, particularly intensified by the coronavirus crisis and geopolitical tensions, cooperation with like-minded countries is indispensable. This is why last year the EU officially joined this annual ICS cybersecurity exercise, launched in 2018 by Japan under collaboration with the U.S., with the aims of enhancing cybersecurity capacity of the Indo-Pacific region and reinforcing collaboration with respective countries.

The ICS cybersecurity week was arranged for participants from the Indo-Pacific region (OT/IT cybersecurity experts from critical infrastructure operators, cybersecurity experts from national CSIRTs (Computer Security Incident Response Team), and policy experts from relevant ministries/authorities)).

The one-week program provided the participants with unique and valuable opportunities to remotely conduct hands-on training, to learn through cybersecurity-related seminars on topic that include current trends such as ransomware and cyber incidents, by experts from Japan, the U.S. and the E.U., as well as workshops by INL. It was an invaluable occasion for participants to acquire knowledge and to enhance cybersecurity capabilities.

The program also contributed to establishing a common understanding on ICS cybersecurity and strengthening relationships between the Indo-Pacific region and Japan, the U.S. and the EU, which will become a foundation for further international cooperation to jointly address the growing cybersecurity threats.

This initiative is gaining in importance, especially in view of the Japan-EU Digital Partnership concluded by the EU and Japan during the 28th EU-Japan Summit held in May this year in Tokyo. Cooperation in the cybersecurity domain is explicitly mentioned in the bilateral agreement. Both sides recognise the importance of promoting cybersecurity information sharing and committed to continue the organization of the trilateral Industrial Control System Cyber Security training in the future. Also, this initiative was quoted in the Chairman’s Statement of the 24th ASEAN-Japan Summit Meeting and the Joint Statement of Japan-U.S. Economic Policy Consultative Committee Meeting. Under the vision of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” METI and the ICSCoE will continuously endeavor to enhance the cybersecurity capacity of the whole region, in particular reinforcing measures for critical infrastructure. 

2. Training program

• Program (Schedule, Program structure, names of speakers attached)(PDF:177KB) *The Program was revised on December 1, 2022.

<Video messages from Japan, the U.S. and the EU in Opening Remarks session>

• Mr. Eric Goldstein
  Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity, CISA
• Ms. Lorena Boix Alonso
  Director in the European Commission’s
  Directorate-General for Communications Networks,
  Content and Technology, European Commission

<Hands-on Training>

In the hands-on exercises, a simulated manufacturing plant was tampered with remotely and a process automation specific mock-up was used for the demonstration. 

• Dr. MITSUNAGA Takuho
  Associate Professor,
  Faculty of Information Networking
  for Innovation And Design (INIAD), 
  Toyo University (Lecturer, ICSCoE IPA) 
• Participants from Indo-Pacific Region

Related weblink 

• DG Connect
• IPA ICSCoE

Division in Charge

Cybersecurity Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau