Cyber Assaults May Constitute ‘Armed Attack’ Under US-Japanese Treaty - Pompeo

18:31 GMT, 19 April 2019

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NEW YORK (Sputnik) - The United States and Japan agree that in some cases a cyber-attack might represent an armed action under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the two countries, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a press conference on Friday.

Sputnik

"The United States and Japan affirm that international law applies in cyberspace and that a cyber-attack could, in certain circumstances, constitute an armed attack under Article five of the US-Japan Security Treaty", Pompeo said alongside Japanese Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya.

The Japanese defence chief said that such an issue is important for the two countries’ deterrence capabilities.

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Pompeo pointed out that the United States and Japan should cooperate to maintain technological superiority, protect classified information and prevent economic advantages that international adversaries could pursue by stealing such data.

According to the joint security treaty, the US military has the right to utilize lands and capacities in Japan in order to maintain peace in East Asia. In addition, Japan has been hosting several US military bases on its territory since Tokyo's defeat in World War II.