March 18, 2026 Announcement of the Recipients of the “Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Encouragement Award for Cybersecurity”

　Since FY2017, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has conferred the “Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Encouragement Award for Cybersecurity” upon individuals and organizations that have demonstrated outstanding achievements in the field of cybersecurity.
　MIC hereby announces that the recipients of the Award for FY2025 have been determined.

※ The published materials are in Japanese only.

1. Overview

　In recent years, the integration of cyberspace and physical space has brought significant benefits to society while also increasing the risks posed by malicious actors exploiting cyberspace. Under these circumstances, ensuring cybersecurity has become a critical issue for maintaining safe and secure lives and the stable functioning of socio-economic activities.

　Accordingly, since FY2017, MIC has awarded the “Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Encouragement Award for Cybersecurity” to individuals or organizations that have demonstrated outstanding achievements in the field of cybersecurity and are expected to make further contributions in the future. By widely publicizing these awards, MIC aims to raise awareness and thereby contribute to the further enhancement of cybersecurity.

2. Deliberation results of "Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Encouragement Award for Cybersecurity"

　A selection committee composed of experts was convened, and based on its deliberations, two individuals and two organizations were selected as recipients of the Award. The recipients and their achievements are outlined below.

• • Individuals：2 (honorifics omitted)

Name	Summary of Achievements
KOIDE Hiroshi Kyushu University Professor in Research Institute for Information Technology/Cyber Security Center	For many years, he has been at the forefront of cybersecurity research and education, contributing to human resource development for a wide range of people from management to young professionals, and working to strengthen the practical capabilities of local small and medium-sized enterprises through experiential cyber exercises. Through activities that transcend the boundaries of research, education, and practice, he has made significant contributions to the improvement of cybersecurity in Japan.
MATSUMOTO Takashi Cyber Analyst, Security Department, IT Unit, DeNA Co., Ltd.	As a digital forensics expert, he worked at the forefront of cybercrime response, while also engaging in community activities. He also raised the alarm at the early stage about the misuse of crypto assets and the abuse of social media, and widely disseminated his research findings. Through both practical work and public awareness efforts, he strengthened cybercrime countermeasures and made significant contributions to the improvement of cybersecurity in Japan.

• • Organizations：2 (honorifics omitted)

Name	Summary of Achievements
Kagawa University Cybercrime Prevention volunteer group ”SETOKU” （Representative） SATO Rion Kagawa University, Faculty of Engineering and Design, Department of Engineering and Design, Program in Computer Science, Systems, and Security	Students took the lead, working closely with the police and other relevant organizations, continuously implementing practical, community-based initiatives such as assisting in the detection and reporting of phishing sites, educational activities for children and students, and raising public awareness campaigns by making use of social media. Through these efforts, they dedicated themselves to preventing cybercrime and mitigating its effects, thus making significant contributions to the improvement of cybersecurity in Japan.
Privacy Workshop Steering Committee (Representative) KIKUCHI Hiroaki Meiji University, Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences CHIDA Koji Gunma University, Associate Professor of Faculty of Informatics.	By creating a community that fosters discussion and exchange among industry, government, and academia regarding privacy protection technologies, and by holding a pioneering contest to compete in balancing data utilization and privacy protection, they have provided a wide range of opportunities to learn about and practice advanced technologies, thereby promoting the development of these technologies and making significant contributions to the improvement of cybersecurity in Japan.