「情報戦」対応を強化　企業の海外展開促進―外務省概算要求

　外務省は今月末にまとめる２０２５年度予算概算要求について、２４年度予算比１２．３％増の８１４６億円とする方針を固めた。「情報戦」への対応を柱の一つに掲げ、偽情報の拡散対策などを強化。日本企業の海外展開を後押しする予算を大きく増やす。関係者が２６日、明らかにした。（2024/08/26-18:15）

Japan's Foreign Ministry will seek 66.2 billion yen in its budget request for fiscal 2025 to strengthen measures to engage in information warfare, such as countering disinformation, with an eye on Chinese, Russian and North Korean activities, informed sources said Monday.
   The ministry plans to use new technologies, including artificial intelligence, to combat disinformation. It will also promote efforts to strategically send information abroad about the discharge of tritium-containing treated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
   The ministry's budget request, to be submitted later this month, will total 814.6 billion yen, up 12.3 pct from the fiscal 2024 budget, the sources said.
   The budget request will feature 84.3 billion yen to promote economic diplomacy, including 130 million yen, up 3.3-fold, to expand the duties of officials at diplomatic establishments in Africa, Southeast Asia and elsewhere who support overseas operations of Japanese companies. The ministry began appointing such officials in April this year.