China has hacked Japan’s secret and sensitive defense information. Discussions on the issue have started recently after the comments of former high-ranking US officials on this issue in a widely published American news agency. After that, however, Japan’s defense chief made it clear that Tokyo has not confirmed the leak of classified information.
A report by the US newspaper Washington Post claimed last Tuesday that in 2020, cyber hackers from the People’s Liberation Army of China hacked the most important computer network of the Japanese Ministry of Defense. Through this, they accessed Japan’s important national security data base and obtained information related to various plans, capabilities, and military vulnerability assessments.
Japan has taken steps to strengthen its computer networks, but it has yet to adequately protect itself from Beijing’s eyes, former US military officials say.
The report also mentioned that as soon as the issue came to the attention of US intelligence, the then head of the US Defense Agency, General Paul Nakasone, and the then Deputy White House National Security Adviser, Matthew Pottinger, went to Tokyo. They went there and told the Japanese Defense Minister about the importance of the matter. He also warned the then Prime Minister of Japan.