Following is the text of a joint statement issued by the Government of the United States and the Government of Japan at the conclusion of the fifth Japan-U.S. Cyber Dialogue:
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1. Following the meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Donald J. Trump in February 2017 and building upon their joint statement which reaffirmed that the two countries will expand bilateral security cooperation in the field of cyberspace, the Governments of Japan and the United States held the fifth Japan-U.S. Cyber Dialogue in Tokyo on July 20 and 21, 2017.
2. Japan and the United States share the view that the Japan-U.S. Cyber Dialogue has facilitated whole of government cooperation on a wide range of bilateral cyber issues and affirmed their determination to further enhance their joint endeavors in this field.
3. Both countries, as allies sharing fundamental values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, and as advanced states with leading technological capabilities, recognized that an accessible, open, interoperable, reliable and secure cyberspace has contributed to global economic, social and political development.
4. Japan and the United States shared concerns that the most serious malicious cyber activities have the potential to undermine peace, prosperity, and stability of the international community.
5. Japan and the United States recognized that the security and resilience of cyberspace can only be fully achieved through close cooperation and collaboration, both nationally and internationally, with various actors including the private sector, academia, and civil society, and committed to promoting public-private coordination in and between both nations.
6. Based on “The Guidelines for Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation” issued on April 27, 2015, the two countries noted their steady progress on cyberspace cooperation. Japan and the United States also welcomed the progress of the Cyber Defense Policy Working Group (CDPWG) between the Ministry of Defense of Japan and the U.S. Department of Defense.
7. Japan and the United States welcomed continued and enhanced cooperation, particularly in the areas below, and recommitted to further develop efforts, consistent with relevant international and domestic law, to continue promoting security, stability and prosperity in cyberspace.
(1) Information Sharing
Japan and the United States reviewed recent cyber incidents and response efforts as well as emerging threats from strategic, policy and technical perspectives. The two governments continue to make progress in cyber threat and incident information sharing. In particular, the National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity (NISC) of Japan announced in May 2017 that it will join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Automated Indicator Sharing (AIS) program. Both countries affirmed that they will further strengthen their cybersecurity information sharing to support prevention of and response to cyber incidents that may occur.
(2) Enhancing national efforts
a. Based on a whole of government approach, the governments of Japan and the United States enhanced respective domestic cybersecurity measures, sharing their work and knowledge in the field. The two countries recognized that critical infrastructure resilience is essential to both countries and affirmed that they will deepen each other’s understanding of respective approaches. The two countries also committed to further strengthen collaboration on cybersecurity of industrial control systems, including through joint training efforts between the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan and DHS.
b. Japan and the United States discussed preparations regarding the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and welcomed cooperation among relevant authorities, including NISC and DHS, to strengthen cybersecurity efforts for this purpose.
c. Japan and the United States shared perspectives on their evolving approaches for classifying cyber incident severity and agreed to build on each other’s efforts and cooperate to effectively address future incidents.
d. Japan and the United States recognize that automated large-scale distributed cyber attacks, such as through botnets, may pose a significant threat to cyberspace, in particular in the context of increasing connectivity through the Internet of Things (IoT). They intend to share approaches to enhancing resilience of the Internet, combating botnets, and to enhancing the cybersecurity of the IoT, in coordination with appropriate stakeholders.
(3) Maintaining and strengthening international stability in cyberspace
a. Japan and the United States have closely cooperated in the areas of international law, voluntary, non-binding norms of responsible State behavior in peacetime, and confidence-building measures, including through the 5th United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security and the G7 Ise-Shima Cyber Group (ISCG), and will continue to promote a strategic framework for conflict prevention, cooperation, and stability in cyberspace.
b. Japan and the United States will continue to enhance cooperation to deter and respond to malicious cyber activities, consistent with relevant domestic and international law, including the law of State responsibility.
c. Japan and the United States recognize that building developing nations’ capacity not only contributes to their own security, but also reduces the overall risk in the international community. Japan and the United States intend to partner together and with the private sector to provide assistance, taking into account needs of the recipient nations.
8. The international community’s access to, dependence on, and innovations for cyberspace continues to grow. Japan and the United States affirmed their determination to advance shared efforts, together with private sector partners, for peace, stability and prosperity of both states and the international community, including through this Dialogue.