China's Cyber Espionage Targets Japanese Military Networks

Chinese military hackers gained access to classified defense networks in Japan, including plans and capabilities, beginning in 2020. The hack was discovered by the National Security Agency and persisted into the Biden administration. The U.S. and Japan have agreed to use a Japanese commercial firm to assess vulnerabilities and strengthen network security. Japanese officials plan to add 4,000 people to their military cybersecurity force and spend $7 billion over five years on cybersecurity. This is not the first reported case of Chinese state-sponsored hacking, and Japanese officials' slow response could impact information sharing with the U.S.