In order to prevent Japan's advanced technology from leaking overseas through espionage, the National Police Agency has set up a new "Economic Security Office" from this year and is in full swing to advise companies on countermeasures. ..

Amid growing international tensions, we will strengthen our efforts, saying that if advanced technology is diverted to the military, it will pose a major security threat.

Regarding Japan's advanced technology, there are cases where information leaks to China, Russia, etc., such as being convicted of illegally acquiring or leaking confidential information from Softbank and Sekisui Chemical's former employees from the time of the adult to last year. Have been confirmed one after another.



In response to this situation, the National Police Agency has set up a new "Economic Security Office" from this year, and in addition to investigating cases and collecting information, we are in full swing to advise companies and research institutes on countermeasures.



Among them, the person in charge is focusing on "outreach activities" that go directly to companies and give advice, explain the methods of overseas industrial espionage and cyber attacks based on actual incidents, and confidential information. It means that they are calling for thorough countermeasures by introducing methods to manage.



In addition, police headquarters nationwide are also collecting information by setting up specialized departments, and recently, overseas companies suddenly presented rewards on SNS and asked for technical guidance, and the university was asked for economic security. It is said that there is information that a company in a country that is concerned about the problem has offered joint research.



The National Police Agency has strengthened its efforts, saying that the outflow of advanced technology will not only reduce international competitiveness, but also pose a major security threat if it is diverted to the military amid rising international tensions due to the situation in Ukraine. It is a policy to go.



Maiko Fujiwara, director of the National Police Agency's Economic Security Office, said, "Don't be optimistic that your company doesn't have the technology you're aiming for. I would like to actively work with companies as well. "

Increased concern about the outflow of advanced technology

Behind the efforts of police authorities to strengthen economic security is the growing concern that Japanese technology will leak out due to the fierce conflict between the United States and China over advanced technology.



According to last year's White Paper on Trade, economic security efforts such as securing important materials such as semiconductors and managing advanced technologies that can be used for military purposes are being strengthened in each country against the backdrop of the conflict over technological hegemony between the United States and China.



In addition, the spread of the new coronavirus has spurred this trend by revealing vulnerabilities in the supply chain.

China and Russia Are you highly interested in Japanese technology?

Of these, in China, strengthening the independence of science and technology is positioned as a national strategy, and efforts to domestically produce important technologies are accelerating.



According to the National Police Agency, it has been confirmed that the Chinese government and business people are inspecting and contacting Japanese companies with advanced technology.



In the case of China, police authorities are increasing caution, saying that they are conducting information gathering activities by clever and diverse means, such as dispatching engineers and international students to Japanese companies and research institutes.



On the other hand, Russia is another country that is said to be highly interested in Japan's advanced technology.



Recently, as the economic sanctions of each country for military invasion of Ukraine have been strengthened, the Japanese government has also issued sanctions such as banning exports of items that can be diverted to military use and semiconductors for the general public.



Under these circumstances, police officials say that Russia, which is said to be conducting espionage activities around the world, may further intensify illegal information gathering activities aiming at Japan's advanced technology in the future.

Cases of cutting-edge technology of major companies

There have been a series of incidents over the outflow of advanced technology in Japan over the last few years.



In February, a former employee of a major telecommunications company, Softbank, was charged with violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Law for illegally acquiring confidential information about communication equipment such as telephone base stations, and was subsequently convicted. received.



He was an acquaintance at the time and was given information at the request of a former deputy representative of the Russian Trade Representative in Japan.

The former deputy representative is believed to have belonged to one of the Russian intelligence agencies, SVR = Foreign Intelligence Service.



In October of the same year, a former employee of Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd., headquartered in Osaka, was convicted last year after being sent a document for leaking research on smartphone screens to a Chinese telecommunications equipment company. I did.



The company contacted me through a business exchange site, and the former employee visited China to communicate and then sent confidential information by e-mail.



Furthermore, in 2019, a former employee of the electronic parts manufacturer `` NISSHA'' in Kyoto City copied and took out data related to technical information of the main product and sent a part to the engineer of the Chinese company to which he changed jobs. He has been arrested, charged and convicted.



In addition, incidents that appear to have aimed at confidential information in Japan through cyber attacks have also been revealed.



Last April, about 200 research institutes and companies, including JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and defense-related companies, were hit by a large-scale cyber attack.

According to investigators, it was found to be due to a group of hackers under the direction of the PLA.

What is the "spy activity" of a former Russian organization executive?

In the case where a former SoftBank employee was convicted of illegally acquiring confidential information, a Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department investigation revealed details of what appears to be a spying activity by a former executive of the Russian Trade Representative in Japan. rice field.



According to investigators, the Russian Trade Representative in Japan is an organization of the Russian embassy responsible for trade-related work, and former executives were the number two representatives and deputies at the time.

However, in reality, it is believed that he belonged to one of the Russian intelligence agencies, "SVR" = Foreign Intelligence Service.



Five years ago, in 2017, a former SoftBank employee and a former executive's predecessor met in the downtown area of ​​Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo.

Since his predecessor spoke in Japanese, "Is there a good restaurant around here?", It is believed that he approached the former employee by pretending to be a coincidence after paying attention to him in advance.

At this time, the former employee who was alone goes to a restaurant nearby with her predecessor as it is, and after that, she often eats.



A few months later, his predecessor returned to Japan, and he was introduced to a former executive saying, "I want my successor Russian to teach Japanese as well."



Then the two repeated dinner at a pace of about once every two months.

The place is a restaurant in Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures, both of which were designated by former executives, and it is said that they never used the same restaurant.

He told me the next date and time and place every time he had a dinner without giving out his mobile phone number.



Also, instead of meeting in person at the restaurant, I always met in a place that was hard to see in the surrounding area before heading to the store, so the Metropolitan Police Department had the aim of confirming in advance whether anyone was watching. I think.

The topic of dinner was wide-ranging from food to international affairs, and former employees sometimes asked about their work problems.



As this relationship deepens, former executives will seek information about the company's technology.



At first, the information was limited to the information published by the company on its website, but the request gradually extended to confidential information, and former employees received a reward of tens of thousands to 200,000 yen depending on the content of the materials to be handed over. It means that it was received.



On the other hand, when a former employee tried to decline the request, the former executive said that he sometimes threatened to say, "I know the apartment you live in."

Metropolitan Police Department Public Security Department "Extremely sophisticated and sophisticated technique"

According to investigators, former executives also directed specific steps in passing sensitive information.



This is a method of displaying information on a computer screen, shooting it with a digital camera, and recording it on an SD card.

At that time, the former employee was instructed to set a password of several tens of digits, delete the recorded data once, and then hand over the SD card.



The Metropolitan Police Department believes that the former executives were recovering the data from the received card, leaving no evidence of fraudulent acquisition of the information.



In a quiet trial, a former employee was charged with illegally acquiring confidential information about communication equipment from a company server in 2019, admitting the indictment, imprisonment for 2 years, suspended sentence of 4 years, fine 80 I was convicted of 10,000 yen.



On the other hand, the former executive returned to Russia without responding to the request from the Metropolitan Police Department, and after that, the documents were sent to the former employee for inviting him, and the prosecution was postponed.

Mikiko Masuda, Counselor of the Public Security Department of the Metropolitan Police Department, said, "The main body of intelligence activities by Russia is a professional spy, and after investigating a suitable person as a collaborator, he approaches with excellent communication ability. While attracting the other person, he tries to take advantage of his weaknesses and manipulate his psychology. It is an extremely sophisticated and sophisticated technique. "

In some cases, it is targeted through SNS that "welcomes an advisor"

In addition to espionage and cyber attacks, it is expected that there are a number of cases in which confidential information is targeted through SNS as an entrance.



A man in his thirties who works for a research institute in Tokyo responded to NHK's interview and revealed that he frequently received messages recommending that he change jobs to a Chinese company.



This man specializes in research that utilizes AI = artificial intelligence in the field of manufacturing, and has worked for a research institute as well as a manufacturer.

He uses a business exchange site operated by an American company to disclose his work history and specialties.



About three years ago, men began to receive messages from Chinese agents and companies that said they had received a request from a company based in Asia.

One of these was an offer to change jobs to a major Chinese telecommunications equipment company.



At that time, the conflict between the United States and China over cutting-edge technology intensified, and the man said, "I think I was making a lot of offers because it became necessary to acquire human resources who are familiar with technologies such as semiconductors in my own country." I'm talking to you.



A man who was not attracted to working in China declined the offer, but police officials say that confidential information may be leaked by changing jobs of engineers and researchers in this way. ..



In fact, in the case where a former employee of Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. was convicted of leaking confidential information last year, a Chinese company that was contacted through the same business exchange site said that he would be "welcome to a technical advisor." I know that.

Against the background of low treatment of Japanese engineers

On the other hand, the men who responded to the interview received multiple messages saying that they would like to have a telephone interview about their specialized technology in exchange for compensation.



The time is about one hour, and the reward is about 30,000 to 40,000 yen.

Some said, "You can set the amount yourself."



I haven't responded to requests before, and I don't know what information I'll be asked for, but men feel that these messages can also lead to the leakage of sensitive information.



The background to this is that the treatment of Japanese engineers and researchers tends to be lower than that of overseas companies.



The man said, "I think it's quite possible that you'll be exploited by that weakness and pass on information in exchange for a reward. Once you've responded, you'll want to get a higher reward, and some people will get more and more important information. It can be leaked, especially if you're routinely complaining that your rewards aren't enough for your abilities, it's easy to justify this. "



In addition, he said that communication through SNS is a very efficient means for requesters to acquire human resources and obtain information, and said, "Even if Japanese companies tighten information security, this is the case. As long as the request continues to be attractive, I don't think it will be a drastic measure to prevent the leakage of confidential information. "

Expert "We need to change our consciousness"

Regarding the current situation where Japan's advanced technology is aimed at, Professor Katsuya Tamai of the University of Tokyo, who is familiar with economic security, said, "Most of the advanced advanced technology can be diverted to military use. Many countries overseas think about it first. The outflow from one company may pose a major security threat. In Japan, the awareness that the outflow of technology affects not only business but also security is still low, and that awareness regardless of the type of industry. We need to change. "



In addition, recently, it has become possible to directly approach engineers and researchers through SNS etc., and the risk of leakage is further increasing. In many cases, they are dissatisfied with the information. To prevent the outflow, not only strengthen the management of information, but also the government recognizes the necessary strategic areas and gives preferential treatment to the engineers engaged in it. It is also important to create an environment in which research can be carried out with all one's heart. It is significant that the Economic Security Promotion Law was enacted in the current Diet and that the government has created a framework for seriously working on economic security. I would like to pay attention to whether it can lead to sexual measures. "