Japan absorbed more cyberattacks than any other country in 2024, according to data from S&P and IBM reported by Catherine Thorbecke of Bloomberg.
The figures show that 22% of all global cyberattacks last year were aimed at Japan, making it the single most targeted nation in the world. That share is striking for a country that accounts for a far smaller slice of the global economy and population.
Bloomberg reports that Japan is now scrambling to upgrade what the analysis describes as substandard systems, as the rise of artificial intelligence gives attackers new tools and raises the stakes for under-defended networks.
The report frames the challenge against the backdrop of Japan's business and technology establishment taking notice. According to Bloomberg, SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son — a figure not known for understatement — gathered business leaders as the country confronts the scale of the threat.
The combination of being the top target and having defenses described as below par is what makes the situation urgent. As AI lowers the cost and increases the speed of mounting attacks, gaps that were once tolerable become liabilities, and a heavily targeted country with weak systems sits at the center of that risk.
Why it matters: Japan is one of the world's largest economies and a hub for advanced manufacturing and finance, so weaknesses in its cyber defenses — now being tested at record volume and sharpened by AI — pose risks that extend well beyond its borders.