Japanese technology company NEC Corporation and UK-based BAE Systems have signed an agreement to cooperate on cyber defense capabilities for the Japanese government.
The two companies plan to combine BAE Systems’ experience in cyber defense operations with NEC’s expertise in domestic technology integration and its knowledge of Japan’s cybersecurity framework.
The agreement also includes plans to explore broader industry collaborations involving cybersecurity and national security stakeholders from both countries.
“Like many nations, we’ve seen a rise in cyber attacks against national authorities and critical infrastructure. This is a trend which requires a proactive response,” stated Noboru Nakatani, Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Security Officer, NEC Corporation.
Strategic Cyber Partnership
The recent agreement builds on the Japan-UK Strategic Cyber Partnership announced by the two governments in January.
With the framework, London and Tokyo seek to deepen cooperation on cyber threat intelligence, critical infrastructure protection, supply chain security, and emerging technologies.
It also provides mechanisms for coordinating responses to major cyber incidents and advancing joint positions on international cyber policy and norms.
Japan’s Active Cyber Defense Strategy
As attention to cyber defense grows worldwide, Tokyo adopted its Active Cyber Defense strategy in 2025, marking a shift from a predominantly defensive cybersecurity posture to a more proactive approach to countering cyber threats.
The strategy is built around three pillars: closer public-private cooperation, expanded use of communications data to identify the sources of cyberattacks, and the introduction of measures allowing government agencies to access and neutralize malicious infrastructure used by attackers.
It is designed to help authorities identify, attribute, and counter sophisticated cyber operations, particularly those conducted by foreign state-backed actors.
