NEC's Cyber Intelligence & Operation Center is now live

Source: NEC. The Cyber Intelligence & Operation Center.

NEC's new Cyber Intelligence & Operation Center has gone live in Japan, with plans to establish operation bases not only in Japan but also across the world. The company announced the strengthening of its cybersecurity operations in May 2025 with the aim of protecting '.JP' — Japan's cyberspace.

The facility is an AI-driven security operation centre (SOC) that brings together the full spectrum of NEC's capabilities — from the fundamental research developed at NEC's Central Research Laboratories to the hands-on expertise gained through years of system design, construction, and operation. 

Unlike traditional SOCs, which focus primarily on reacting to alerts after an intrusion attempt, NEC's new centre is designed for proactive security operations — predicting threats and implementing pre-emptive defense. Its services include monitoring evolving cyberthreats, detecting early warning signs of attacks, and providing support and reporting during incidents.

This approach enables the detection of attacks that previously would have gone unnoticed, as well as the prevention of situations where post-intrusion countermeasures would be too late. Takayuki Oku, GM, Cyber Security Strategy Division, NEC said in a blog post: "It's like checking the weather forecast before heading out with an umbrella. By sensing and predicting the early signs of an attack, we can tip the balance in favour of the defenders." 

At the heart of the new centre is cotomi, NEC's proprietary generative AI large language model (LLM). The AI model will automate time-intensive, routine tasks, analysing vast amounts of information, generating reports, and calculating risk as well. 

As the centre handles customer data, relying on domestic AI rather than foreign-developed solutions reduces the risk of data leakage and ensures safe and secure analysis, NEC said. 

Oku noted: "It is about protecting Japanese companies as they operate globally. This center will safeguard the entire supply chain of Japanese enterprises, including their overseas sites."

Norihito Fujita, Senior Executive MD, NEC Security,  Head of the AI Security Center and GM, Cyber Security Strategy Division,  NEC said: "Domestic generative AI is a crucial foundation for protecting .JP." 

*The web domain suffix for Japan is '.jp'.