Japanese media: The Japanese government cabinet will set up a special department to focus on supply security of semiconductors, etc.

On December 12, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun quoted several government officials as saying that the Japanese government will set up a Cabinet Office department to focus on issues related to supply chain security.

The report said that in view of the international situation, including the United States and China taking the lead in ensuring semiconductors and other important materials and technological innovation, Japan decided that it needed to strengthen the system for cross-ministerial handling of this issue.

The Japanese government intends to submit the Economic Security Promotion Act (tentative name) to the regular session of the Diet in January next year. After the bill is passed, an office will be established. According to multiple government and ruling party officials, the office, tentatively named "Economic Security Office", is preparing to gather dozens of staff from the ministries of finance, economy, industry and defense.

The National Security Service (NSS) has always played a central role in economic security, providing information and advice to the office. The NSS's economic security-related operations will focus on reviewing acquisitions and investments by foreign companies.

The office will also support the research and development of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technology. In order to prevent the outflow of technology, it is expected to review whether sensitive patent applications (such as weapons development) should be kept confidential.