Japan

Summary
Japan’s degree of digital dependence has grown over the past few years. The DDI Value indicates a significant increase of roughly 12 percent between 2010 (0.67) and 2023 (0.75), placing Japan at a medium level of dependence. Unusually, Japan’s highest level of dependence is not on patents but on platforms (0.94 in 2023). Nonetheless, its dependence on ICT patents (from 0.64 in 2010 to 0.84 in 2023) and trade in ICT goods (from 0.46 in 2010 to 0.59 in 2023) grew strongly during the investigation period. A highly relevant example of this is the bilateral dependence on Chinese ICT goods, which rose to 0.73 in 2023.

Policies
Numerous policies initiated between 2020 and 2026 share the goal of reducing Japan’s digital dependence: In 2021, the country initiated multi-billion subsidies in the field of semiconductors, supporting the company "Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing" (JASM). Additionally, the revised "Cybersecurity Strategy" from 2025 marked a shift from a reactive stance towards a more active Japanese cyber defence.