As the United States faces security threats across the globe, Japan has committed to stepping up as a trusted defense partner ¡ª but Tokyo¡¯s cyber and information security vulnerabilities remain a concern, officials and experts say.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is overseeing a once-unthinkable military build-up, told the U.S. Congress this month that Tokyo was committed to helping its partner counter challenges ranging from Russia¡¯s war in Ukraine to an increasingly assertive China.

That came as the allies announced new areas of military cooperation, including tapping Japan¡¯s industrial capacity to bolster defense production and possibly developing new technologies with AUKUS security partners Australia and Britain.