Japan's cyber security minister admits he has never used a computer 

Yoshitaka Sakurada, 68, is the deputy chief of the government's cyber security strategy office and also the minister in charge of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Yoshitaka Sakurada, 68, is the deputy chief of the government's cyber security strategy office and also the minister in charge of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Credit: REUTERS

The Japanese minister for cyber security was accused of making a mockery of his new role after he admitted he has never used a computer.

Yoshitaka Sakurada, 68, faced a wall of laughter from fellow legislators when he made the admission in a car-crash response to questioning in parliament.

Mr Sakurada, from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is in charge of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and deputy chief of the government’s cyber security strategy office.

Clearly uneasy when quizzed about about technical matters during a televised debate, the MP admitted: “Since the age of 25, I have instructed my employees and secretaries, so I don’t use the computers myself."

Mr Sakurada also appeared confused by the concept of a USB drive. When asked about Japanese nuclear facilities and malicious software, Sakurada said USBs were “basically never used” in the utility systems. 

Mr Sakurada was brought into PM Shinzo Abe's cabinet as part of a reshuffle following his re-election as party leader
Mr Sakurada was brought into PM Shinzo Abe's cabinet as part of a reshuffle following his re-election as party leader Credit:  ATHIT PERAWONGMETHA/REUTERS

Aides, sensing their minister was poorly briefed, could be seen rushing to give Sakurada 

sheets of paper with information during his exchange.

Fellow MPs laughed incredulously at his replies, which were circulated widely on Japanese media and on social media.

Masato Imai, an opposition MP, said “It's unbelievable that someone who has not touched computers is responsible for cyber security policies.”

Mr Sakurada’s comments also prompted a backlash from voters on social media too. "Doesn't he feel ashamed?" wrote one Twitter user.

"Today any company president uses a PC. He doesn't even know what a USB is. Holy cow."

Another joked that Sakurada was possibly working on his own kind of cyber security by avoiding computers.

"If a hacker targets this Minister Sakurada, they wouldn't be able to steal any information. Indeed it might be the strongest kind of security!"

Mr Sakurada was appointed cyber security minister just one month ago following a cabinet reshuffle after prime minister Shinzo Abe's reelection as head of his political party.

In this short space of time he has already come fire for other embarrassing comments in parliament. These include mispronouncing an opposition lawmaker’s name and repeatedly stating "I don't know the details" when questioned about his new Olympic brief.

Mr Sakurada complained after one of his unimpressive performances in parliament that he had not been given some questions in advance, blaming his stumbles the opposition MP Renho Murata. 

“Since there was no prior notice about the questions, I had no idea what would be asked at the session,” the Asahi newspaper quoted him as saying.

When Renho asked him how much funding the central government would contribute to the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, Sakurada claimed the amount would be 1,500 yen, equivalent to just $13. This is considerably less than the actual sum of 150 billion yen. 

He also suggested that he did not know that Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, had asked the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in March to allow his country’s athletes to take part in the 2020 Games.

Although the minister is not expected to have much hands-on responsibility in the handling of either cyber security or the Olympics, Mr Sakurada's high-profile stumbles are seen as an embarrassment for the prime minister.

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