Recap: Japan-Netherlands Expert Roundtable on Cybersecurity for Energy and Industry 4.0
On Tuesday the 1st of June we organised the Japan-Netherlands Expert Roundtable on Cybersecurity for Energy and Industry 4.0 together with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Tokyo, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). This roundtable is part of the Partners for International Business (PIB) Japan Cybersecurity programme, with which we have strengthened the ties and formed new relationships between the Netherlands and Japan on this important topic. With over 60 participants and lively discussions, it was clear to see that the subject of critical infrastructure protection is a priority in the security field and that the Dutch-Japanese relationship is flourishing! In July the PIB Cybersecurity Japan will host a virtual Knowledge Summit in the lead up to the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Since the beginning of the PIB Japan Cybersecurity programme in 2016, technological developments have not stopped. Systems and devices become increasingly connected in what is labelled ‘smart industry’, Industry 4.0 or Society 5.0. Developments in the energy sector also bring on a higher risk. Some of the key takeaways of the roundtable are:
- There recently have been numerous changes in industry because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the pandemic has made people fully aware of the importance of security of smart industry.
- Safeguarding your own cybersecurity as individual organisations is not enough; all links in your supply chain pose a risk.
- Improving the awareness among citizens, Security by Design and improving cybersecurity awareness among top management are the key elements in improving cybersecurity for Society 5.0/Industry 4.0.
- The biggest vulnerability of organisations is always sitting between a chair and a keyboard, meaning people. If people are not trained properly, then they are the vulnerabilities that will be exploited. remotely training security personnel is an innovatie solution that was applauded by the attendees.
Even though the roundtable lasted for 1.5 hours, there was still a lot left to be discussed. Fortunately, we are also organising a virtual Knowledge Summit on the 19th and 20th of July, which will continue on the subject of critical infrastructure and industry protection. As the roundtable has proven, collaboration is key, but we also need to continue from talking into doing. With the Knowledge Summit, we continue to develop Japanese-Dutch collaborations and solutions in the future. Perhaps the biggest success story of the PIB Japan Cybersecurity programme is that of TEPCO and Compumatica, who signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) two years ago in close collaboration with Forescout and Japanese organisations for the security of the Tokyo energy grid. This shows the true possibilities for further collaboration between the two countries. With the expert round table, we strengthed the ties through sharing knowledge and introduced new organisations in this collaboration.
Interested in getting involved?
Are you interested in learning more about the latest developments in the security threat landscape, challenges, and opportunities for innovative applications and collaborations between Japan and the Netherlands? And are you interested in learning more about the current Japanese-Dutch collaborations and maybe even thinking of establishing such a collaboration yourself? Join the Knowledge Summit the 19th and 20th of July! More information will follow soon via our website and social media channels. For more information please contact Joeri Glastra: joeri.glastra@thehaguesecuritydelta.com