Against the background of intensifying Sino-US economic and technological competition and the increasingly severe situation of economic security and security, Japan has also begun to take strengthened and preventive measures against China in terms of economic security and guarantees.
In April 2020, the National Security Agency (NSS), the Cabinet of Ministers, Japan, set up an "Economic Class" as a command for economic security.
According to reports, most of the economic security policies formulated by this economic class are "focused on China." But the government avoids naming names, saying that "it is not specific to specific countries and enterprises". The agency said that in the case of the US-China struggle for hegemony, it is in line with the ally of the United States, taking into account the economic relationship with China - it is precisely because of this dilemma that it is "secretive" and quietly promotes specific measures. as:
(1) Adopt a cabinet decision to enact a new law restricting the sale and purchase of land that is important for safety and security (this law is called the Land Use Regulation Act, which was passed at the recently concluded regular session of the National Assembly);
2. Establish and improve the new law on promoting 5G and its localization development;
3. Add new drugs and medical devices to the foreign investment restrictions of the Foreign Exchange Law;
4. Effectively exclude Chinese products from government procurement related to defense and critical infrastructure;
5. The government strengthens the review of the investigation and research entrusted to private enterprises.
The NSS will also amend the statutes for each industry, known as the "Industry Law", covering laws related to the Telecommunications Business Act, the Telecommunications Business Act, the Aviation Act, the Banking Act, and other laws related to the country's important infrastructure.
In June 2020, the LDP established the Strategic Headquarters for the Creation of a New International Order, put forward a proposal entitled "In order to formulate an "Economic Security Guarantee Strategy", and in May 2021 formulated a "National Strategic Proposal for Economic Security and Guarantee", the main contents of which are: In order to prevent the outflow of subtle technologies, relevant provinces and departments require the increase of economic security security personnel, etc., and take budgetary measures including the "Economic Security Guarantee Fund (tentatively referred to)"; in order to strengthen the research and development of semiconductors and other strategic domestic production bases. In China, "a considerable support mechanism should be established as soon as possible"; as a policy topic on economic security, a new think tank for investigating and analyzing the situation at home and abroad will be created in 2023; the "Economic Security Strategy" will be formulated within this year and included in the upcoming revised "National Security Strategy"; and the government and the private sector will jointly work on the "Economic Security Guarantee Package Promotion Law (Tentative Name)" to be passed by the General Assembly in 2022 as the legal basis for formulating and adopting relevant guidelines and policies On this basis, the "Economic Security Guarantee Strategy for Ensuring the Independence, Survival and Prosperity of our Country from the Economic Perspective" was formulated. In this regard, military journalist Kazuhiko Inoue believes that "finally face up to the economic reality that supports national defense", calling it "a rich country and a strong military order and a version"
After the establishment of the Suga government, it revised the "National Security Guarantee Strategy", the basic policy of diplomacy and security, and added the content of economic security guarantees for the first time, in addition to creating a "system to prevent the leakage of cutting-edge technological information".
In May 2021, the government decided to adjust the establishment of a mechanism for consultation with economic groups and companies on economic security assurances, and will also require major companies in important fields such as semiconductors, communications, IT, and atomic energy to establish directors responsible for economic security.
In February 2021, the Public Security Investigation Department, an intelligence-gathering and analysis agency that collects and analyzes intelligence at home and abroad, established the First Working Group (PT) directly under the direct supervision of the chief and deputy ministers to monitor China as a functional and unified organization.
This is one of the manifestations of Japan following the United States in the economic field. What measures Japan will take in this regard deserve close attention.
