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A Japanese perspective of the China threat in cyberspace

Saccone, Giulia (2024) COSM40 20241
Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University
Abstract
In the last two decades, Japan has articulated a more proactive cybersecurity posture amid the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks and the relevance of technology for society. Those initiatives revolve especially around the response against China’s grey zone activities, which are not exclusive to cyberspace, and emerge as a result of issues in other domains. However, Japan has never directly attributed the threat label to China due to the complex relationship between the two countries. This research has analyzed the securitization moves employed by Japan in its Defense White Papers from 2019 to 2023 through the transversal securitization theory applied to content analysis. Findings indicated a strategy based on the classical... (More)
In the last two decades, Japan has articulated a more proactive cybersecurity posture amid the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks and the relevance of technology for society. Those initiatives revolve especially around the response against China’s grey zone activities, which are not exclusive to cyberspace, and emerge as a result of issues in other domains. However, Japan has never directly attributed the threat label to China due to the complex relationship between the two countries. This research has analyzed the securitization moves employed by Japan in its Defense White Papers from 2019 to 2023 through the transversal securitization theory applied to content analysis. Findings indicated a strategy based on the classical interests of middle powers that securitizes a major actor, employing motives related to the latest evolution of technologies applied to cyberspace. The results also showed a tendency to use explicit threat markers when the White Papers employ the words of allies: a strategy that adds a further level of indirectness while not sacrificing the threatening effect. Moreover, in the later White Papers, it was possible to observe a broadening of the roster of third actors and typologies of cyberattacks mentioned, demonstrating an increasing cyber maturity and reflecting Japan’s diplomatic results. (Less)
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author
Saccone, Giulia
supervisor
organization
course
COSM40 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Sino-Japanese relations, Japan, China, Japan cybersecurity, Cyber policy, Securitization, Copenhagen School, Security studies
language
English
id
9176618
date added to LUP
2024-10-15 09:36:07
date last changed
2024-10-15 09:36:07
@misc{9176618,
  abstract     = {{In the last two decades, Japan has articulated a more proactive cybersecurity posture amid the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks and the relevance of technology for society. Those initiatives revolve especially around the response against China’s grey zone activities, which are not exclusive to cyberspace, and emerge as a result of issues in other domains. However, Japan has never directly attributed the threat label to China due to the complex relationship between the two countries. This research has analyzed the securitization moves employed by Japan in its Defense White Papers from 2019 to 2023 through the transversal securitization theory applied to content analysis. Findings indicated a strategy based on the classical interests of middle powers that securitizes a major actor, employing motives related to the latest evolution of technologies applied to cyberspace. The results also showed a tendency to use explicit threat markers when the White Papers employ the words of allies: a strategy that adds a further level of indirectness while not sacrificing the threatening effect. Moreover, in the later White Papers, it was possible to observe a broadening of the roster of third actors and typologies of cyberattacks mentioned, demonstrating an increasing cyber maturity and reflecting Japan’s diplomatic results.}},
  author       = {{Saccone, Giulia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{A Japanese perspective of the China threat in cyberspace}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}