The Japanese government has approved draft legislation to introduce measures to pre-empt possible cyberattacks amid an increasingly vulnerable cyber environment.

The draft legislation to implement what is called "active cyber defense" was approved at a Cabinet meeting on Friday.

The proposed legislation would allow Japan's police and Self-Defense Forces to hack potential sources of cyberattacks and incapacitate them before they can carry out attacks, with the prior approval of an independent committee to be launched.

The government would enter into agreements with the operators of critical infrastructure, such as power and railway companies, to gain access to communications to monitor for possible cyberattacks. The bills would require operators to report cyberattacks against them to the government.

Those who leak information could face up to four years in prison or a fine of up to 2 million yen, or about 13,000 dollars. The same fine could be imposed against infrastructure operators who fail to report attacks to the government and do not follow its correction order.

Under the draft legislation, a new vice-ministerial post in charge of cyber security will also be set up at the Cabinet Secretariat.

The government hopes to pass the draft legislation during the current session of the Diet, with an eye to implementing it sometime in fiscal 2026.