Japan establishes special units for information warfare

New structures have been formed within Japan’s navy and ground forces to handle cybersecurity and counter the spread of false information, Kyodo news agency reports.

The naval unit alone will comprise around 3,200 personnel.

At the same time, a special department to combat disinformation on social media is being created within Japan’s National Intelligence Agency, which is set to begin operations this summer. Its task will be to prevent attempts by foreign actors to influence public opinion and interfere in elections, the report said.

The new unit will also be granted the authority to request that providers remove certain content and block accounts identified as sources of coordinated large-scale disinformation.