Japan and EU Collaborate to Secure Undersea Cable Infrastructure Amid Rising Threats

• •Japan and the EU are collaborating to protect undersea cables from increasing attacks.
• •Undersea cables are vital for global communications, handling 99% of cross-border data traffic.
• •Recent incidents of cable damage highlight the geopolitical risks associated with these infrastructures.

Japan is partnering with the European Union to enhance the protection and maintenance of undersea cables, which are critical for global communications and have been increasingly targeted since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This collaboration aims to establish a new undersea cable route that bypasses Russian waters, thereby reducing geopolitical risks. Analysts highlight that undersea cables, which transmit 99% of international data, are vulnerable to attacks that can disrupt military and economic activities. The joint efforts will include research on early detection technologies for cable damage and rapid response strategies. Recent incidents, including cable damage in the Baltic Sea and arrests related to cable sabotage, underscore the urgency of this initiative. The partnership is expected to be formalized in a joint statement following the upcoming Japan-EU Digital Partnership Council meeting in May 2026. If successful, the new cable route could improve communication speeds between Japan and Europe by 30%.