The more digitized society becomes, the greater the threat of cyberattacks. In fact, at this very moment, there is bound to be an entity undergoing such an attack somewhere in the world. In May of this year, Noboru Nakatani—who had just been newly appointed Chief Security Officer (CSO) of NEC and President of NEC Security, Ltd.—sounded the alarm, saying, "Despite the fact that digital transformation is on the rise, companies are lagging behind when it comes to implementing the security measures necessary to protect critical information and operations." We recently sat down with Nakatani, one of Japan's leading security professionals with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, including INTERPOL, to discuss the NEC Group's aspirations for the future.

A world-class cybercrime investigation professional

──How have you been involved in cybersecurity over the course of your career?
I started working at a bank after graduating from university, but I resigned almost immediately because I realized it would be difficult to solve social issues from there, which was what I ultimately aspired to do. In 1993, I joined Japan’s National Police Agency, where I served in a number of positions, including Director of the Foreign Affairs Division in charge of counter-espionage for Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters. Later, as I witnessed the shift from physical to cyber espionage, I began pursuing cybercrime prevention.

In 2007, I was sent on assignment to INTERPOL to serve as Assistant Director of Financial and High Tech Crime. Then, after compiling a report on system vulnerability following a cyberattack, I was assigned Director of Information Systems and Technology and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). In 2012, I was appointed Executive Director of the newly established INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore.

While at IGCI, I supported international investigations related to cybercrime and promoted global public-private partnerships. At that time, we even concluded a partnership agreement with NEC. Due to my police background, fingerprint identification is what first came to mind when I thought of NEC, but I recall thinking to myself, "They're going to start focusing on cybersecurity."

A desire to keep people safe and secure

──You eventually went on to become a proponent of cybersecurity at NEC.
When I sat down and thought about the future trajectory of my career, I decided that I wanted to change course and start providing cybersecurity from Japan. When I joined Japan’s National Police Agency, my primary motivation was to protect the safety and security of the nation and its people, which holds something in common with NEC’s Purpose of “creating the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential.” After returning to Japan from INTERPOL, I worked at Yahoo Japan Corporation (currently known as LY Corporation) before joining NEC.

──What do you consider to be NEC's strengths when it comes to cybersecurity?
Since NEC has long provided cybersecurity solutions in conjunction with system integration (SI), one of its greatest strengths is that it already has experience protecting the operations of customers in the public and private sectors—even at the mission-critical level—and has also dealt with actual cyberattacks.

Meanwhile, economic security is becoming more crucial than ever before due to changes in the international situation. A more proactive approach to cyber defense is needed, and Japanese legislation to establish a new security clearance system for access to classified information is slated to go into effect in FY2025. To keep up with these changes, NEC will also need to grow to a different stage than in the past. This is why it will be important to make sound investments to boost our organizational capabilities, including human resources and facilities.

With a lineup that includes AI, biometrics, quantum cryptography, and submarine cables, NEC is a company with a portfolio unlike any other in the world. If we succeed in "integrating" these offerings, we should be able to propose a new form of security. I believe NEC has tremendous potential for growth.

The ideal vision for security in the era of digital transformation (DX)

──The circumstances and laws and regulations surrounding cybersecurity differ from country to country.
Security-related laws and regulations in countries around the globe are growing stricter and more complex every year. For companies who do business globally, it is crucial to be in full compliance with such laws and regulations. This is why NEC needs to set its sights on providing localized solutions that are based on a standard model created from data acquired by the entire NEC Group and tailored to the regulations and local needs of each country. Rather than simply executing decisions made by headquarters, we will be establishing a system in which the personnel in charge in each country work together to improve the capabilities of the NEC Group as a whole.

In Japan, the government and major companies are leading the way in promoting DX. While DX can be likened to "medicine" used to improve productivity and efficiency, it can also have "side effects" such as privacy breaches or data leaks. This is why security measures are vital. However, small and medium-sized companies, for example, often lack the personnel and financial resources to devote to such measures. There are even cases where governmental agencies or major companies do not have sufficient resources.

──How does NEC plan to address these issues?
Even those who are not knowledgeable about IT know that security is obviously an issue that must be addressed, yet there is a tendency for it to be viewed as something special in the context of DX. When taking new actions in the digital space, intrinsic security built in from the start rather than added later on is imperative. As Japan's leading provider of DX and cybersecurity solutions, it is NEC's duty to present feasible options to customers while raising awareness about the importance of having cybersecurity built into systems from the very beginning.

I want to spread the word that security should not be an afterthought. In the future, I see NEC possessing capabilities befitting a cybersecurity company in this digital society and striving to be a digital security transformation (DSX) company that promotes DX in a safe, secure, and sustainable manner and is capable of serving as a problem-solving engine for resolving the issues facing society everywhere.

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