Press Releases
United Nations Global Mechanism on Cybersecurity (Substantive plenary session (2026))
From July 20 to 24, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States, the substantive plenary session of the United Nations Global Mechanism on Cybersecurity (Global mechanism on developments in the field of information and communications technologies in the context of international security and advancing responsible State behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies, Substantive plenary session) was held, and Mr. MIYAKE Fumito, Ambassador in charge of Cyber Policy and Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, attended the meeting. The overview is as follows:
- At this substantive plenary session, under the Chair, H.E. Ambassador Egriselda López from El Salvador, discussions were held regarding the threat landscape, norms, international law, capacity building and other issues.
- While noting the increasingly sophisticated and complex methods of cyberattacks in recent years, Japan emphasized the need for broad stakeholders’ participation and public-private partnerships in discussions on cybersecurity. Japan also emphasized the importance of advancing practical discussions on how existing international law applies in cyberspace and deepening discussions on how specific norms should be implemented in practice, while also highlighting the need for efficient and effective capacity building.
- From the standpoint of aiming to maintain and develop a free, fair and secure cyberspace, while leveraging the expertise of private sector experts, Japan will constructively engage in the United Nations Global Mechanism by addressing practical challenges surrounding cyberspace, based on the outcomes of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) and the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group on cybersecurity (OEWG).
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan continues to actively engage with the international community in order to ensure security in cyberspace.
(Reference) United Nations Global Mechanism on Cybersecurity (Substantive plenary session)
In December 2025, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution endorsing the final report of the United Nations Open-Ended Working Group on cybersecurity (OEWG) including on a mechanism following the end of the OEWG’s mandate. Based on this resolution, in March 2026, the organizational session of the Global Mechanism, the successor framework to the OEWG, was held. In July 2026, the substantive plenary session of the Global Mechanism was held for the first time after its establishment.