The National Police Agency said Thursday it will seek ¥5.96 billion ($41.26 million) to strengthen cyberattack countermeasures in its budget request for the fiscal year starting April 2025.

The funds will mainly be used to enhance investigation capabilities and improve measures to fight phishing using generative artificial intelligence technology.

Of the total, ¥343 million will be requested partly to procure computers, as there will be about a dozen more staff at the NPA's national cyber department.

For the fight against phishing, ¥26 million will be allocated to the introduction of a generative AI system to detect fake websites.

The Jan. 1 Noto Peninsula earthquake also left many roads cut off, making it difficult for rescue workers to enter disaster-affected areas.

To address such problems, the agency will seek ¥1.79 billion to procure four-wheel drive vehicles that can handle rougher roads, along with small and lightweight chainsaws that can be easily transported on helicopters.

The budget request also includes ¥2.09 billion mainly for security and chartered vehicles for the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka.

The agency's overall general-account budget request for fiscal 2025 came to ¥328.46 billion, up ¥17.5 billion from the previous year.