November 20, 2024 Calling for the Nominees of the "Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications' Award" for Cybersecurity Encouragement

 Since 2017, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has presented the "Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications' Award for Cybersecurity Encouragement" to individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the field of cybersecurity efforts. Public solicitation for nominations for the FY2024 award will soon begin.　

1. Purpose

 While the integration of cyberspace and real space has brought societal benefits in recent years, the risks associated with the use of cyberspace by malicious actors have also increased. Ensuring cybersecurity has become increasingly crucial for safeguarding people’s lives and promoting sustainable social and economic development.
 For this reason, MIC established the "Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Cybersecurity Encouragement Award" in FY2017 for honoring individuals or organizations (or teams) whose contributions have been exceptional in the field of cybersecurity responses and who are expected to play an even more active role in the future and publicizing it widely with the aim of raising awareness of cybersecurity in Japan and thereby reinforcing its importance.

2. Selection process

 A selection committee composed of experts will be convened to evaluate the candidates nominated through public solicitation and recommendation by the selection committee members before MIC finalizes the award winners (approximately three individuals or organizations will be selected).
 The results of the selection will be announced on MIC’s website and other media outlets around February 2025.

3. Award ceremony

 The award ceremony will take place during Cybersecurity Month, which runs from Saturday, February 1 to Tuesday, March 18, 2025.