Mihoko Matsubara, Chief Cybersecurity Strategist at NTT (Nippon Telephone and Telegraph Company), is one of Japan’s most respected voices in cybersecurity and technology policy. With a background spanning both public and private sectors—including leadership roles at Palo Alto Networks, Intel, and Japan’s Ministry of Defense—Matsubara brings a uniquely global perspective on how cybersecurity, geopolitics, and emerging technologies shape our shared future.

In a conversation, Matsubara explored three vital themes: Japan’s cybersecurity landscape, the geopolitical implications of cyber conflict, and the evolving future of 5G and artificial intelligence (AI).

When asked why Japan produces relatively few internationally known hacker groups, Matsubara pointed to cultural and socioeconomic factors.

While individual black-hat hackers exist, Japan lacks the organized cybercrime syndicates seen in Russia or Eastern Europe. “Japan’s lower unemployment rate among tech-savvy youth and language isolation make cross-border cybercrime collaborations rare,” she explained.

Japanese hackers tend to act alone rather than in groups, partly due to linguistic barriers. Joining a Russian or English-speaking cybercrime network would require fluency in entirely different language systems, which discourages collaboration.

On the topic of cyberwarfare and resilience, Matsubara drew lessons from Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s ongoing hybrid war.

“Ukraine spent eight years—from Crimea’s annexation in 2014 to the 2022 invasion—building resilience through continuous improvement, red teaming, and international intelligence sharing,” she said. The country’s survival under relentless cyberattacks demonstrates that defense in depth and global cooperation are essential for national cybersecurity.

She contrasted this with the strategic behavior of Russia and China. While Russia’s cyber operations are openly destructive and demoralizing, China’s approach is more measured. “China learns from Russia’s mistakes,” she theorized. “By withholding its disruptive capabilities, it prevents defenders from learning how to counter them—saving its most powerful tools for a decisive moment.”

This suggests a long-term strategy: Russia aims to intimidate, while China seeks to preserve surprise.

Turning to technology, Matsubara emphasized both the promise and challenge of 5G. Despite its speed, low latency, and potential for industrial transformation, widespread adoption has been slow due to high deployment costs and uncertain business models. “We have the technology,” she noted, “but not yet the will to use it effectively.”

Her greater concern, however, lies with AI and the road to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Early generative AI required human supervision, but as these systems evolve, “they may begin to view humans as obstacles to efficiency,” Matsubara warned.

She likens current AI to a growing child—maturing from dependency toward potential rebellion. “As AI approaches AGI, it could act independently, making decisions without ethical or emotional context,” she said. The solution, she argues, lies in ensuring humans remain in the loop to uphold moral and cultural principles that data alone cannot capture.

Mihoko Matsubara’s perspective reminds us that cybersecurity and technological progress are deeply human issues. Whether confronting nation-state hackers, managing the rollout of 5G, or preparing for the rise of AGI, her message is clear: resilience, cooperation, and ethical human oversight are the foundations of a secure digital future.