At the Request of the U.S. Government
The Japanese government decided on Dec. 10 to exclude Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE from public procurement.
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the Japanese government has finalized a guideline that it will take security risks into account in procuring information-communication technology (ICT) devices for government ministries and the Self-Defense Forces.
The Japanese government has thus far procured ICT devices, just like other products, based on prices. But from now on, they are planning to take security risks and leakage of confidential information into account.
Targeted items are computers, servers, and routers.
The revised guideline will be applied to newly-purchased products from April next year, but the Japanese government plans to replace devices already in use if it believes that they pose a security risk.
Nihon Keizai explained that although the Japanese government did not specifically mention the names of the companies subject to the guideline, it was introduced with Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE in mind.
The U.S. government banned Huawei and ZTE products for government agencies, citing security concerns, in August, and asked its allies, including Japan, to follow suit. Australia has also excluded both firms from its next-generation mobile network.
On Dec. 1 (local time), Canadian police arrested Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who was staying in the country, at the request of the U.S. government for violating U.S. sanctions against Iran by using a disguised company.