As information and communication technology (ICT) has extended into all areas of society, we have become ever more reliant upon it. The subtle ways in which it is changing the world, though both exciting and frightening, are not widely recognized or understood. This year, Japan will host the G-7 summit in the Ise-Shima region, and in four years the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. As these large-scale, global events have now become completely dependent on ICT, the threat landscape has also evolved. There is greater concern about a hybrid threat that would use computers as cyberweapons to carry out attacks on physical infrastructure. Data breaches worldwide are now so common that we hardly pay attention to the news. Even the recent theft of personal information records from the Japan Pension Service had little lasting impact. Yet the frequency and severity of such attacks is certain to increase. The ease and borderless nature of this threat ensures that no one is immune from such attacks, yet individuals and corporations are complacent about both the threats and the risks.

At the same time, Japan is investing heavily in the "Internet of things" (IoT) technologies, as the ability to automate and innovate various services will bring significant benefits to Japan's aging society. Because many nations will face the same issues in years to come, Japan is ideally positioned to take a leadership role in this area. However, being truly successful in the IoT will require an ability to deliver those products and services reliably and securely over time — something that Japan cannot currently guarantee. To date, the race to add new features and functionality has only resulted in flawed security implementations that achieve little more than "keeping honest people honest."

The rapid pace of technological change presents enormous challenges for governments around the world, as they face tight budget constraints and competing priorities. Political realities mean that by the time cyber-related legislation is passed it is usually out of date, and sometimes new regulations actually make things worse. Another concern is the ease with which businesses can relocate to a different country to avoid any increase in financial or operational burden.