Cybercrime Law in Japan
Japan combines a dedicated unauthorized-access statute with computer-crime provisions in its Penal Code.
Key laws
- Act on Prohibition of Unauthorized Computer Access (1999) — prohibits unauthorized access to computers over a network, and related acts such as obtaining or providing another person’s login credentials.
- Penal Code provisions on computer crime — including offences for creating or supplying malicious programs (unauthorized commands / “computer virus” offences) and computer-related fraud and damage.
- Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI) — data protection.
Enforcement
The National Police Agency and prefectural police investigate cybercrime; Japan is a party to the Budapest Convention.
Plain-language overview, not legal advice. Laws change — verify the current statutes for any specific question.