Google launches cybersecurity center in Tokyo to combat Asia threats

US tech giant Google has said it opened a new cyberdefence hub in Tokyo as the region faces growing digital security threats from China.

The new hub, christened the "Cybersecurity Center of Excellence", aims to spearhead research and train tech talent to counter the threat of cyberattacks, Google said on Friday.

"We are officially launching the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in Japan, aiming to connect leading security specialists, researchers, and partners", Google said in a statement.

The centre will invite tech experts from countries including India, Australia and South Korea to jointly study measures against cyberattacks, the Nikkei business daily said, adding that it is Google's first such hub in Asia.

The move comes after Google warned in October that the Asia-Pacific faces "more cyberattacks than any other region", attributing its vulnerability in part to "chronic talent shortage".

Japanese authorities have also echoed the concerns.

With security threats on the rise, the new centre will "aim to enhance Japan's cybersecurity infrastructure" by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and insightful collaborations, Junichiro Uchiyama, interim lead of the new centre, said in a statement.