Photo/Illutration The National Police Agency’s Cyber Force Center detects signs of cyberattacks and analyzes malware around the clock. (Provided by the National Police Agency)

The National Police Agency is about to get a shiny new upgrade as the new fiscal year begins so it can take a bigger bite out of cybercrime.

It will launch a new bureau and special investigative unit on April 1, bolstering its ability to respond to growing cybersecurity threats.

The Upper House passed a bill to revise the Police Law at its March 30 plenary session to establish the new office and cybersecurity squad.

The bureau will take up the functions of the agency’s Community Safety Bureau, Security Bureau and Info-Communications Bureau, which are currently in charge of handling cybercrimes.

The NPA will also set up a new division in the Commissioner General’s Secretariat to oversee police communications and policies for digitizing their operations.

The agency plans to establish the headquarters for the cybersquad in Tokyo in April with about 200 police officers and technical staff members.

The cybersquad will belong to the Kanto Regional Police Bureau, but its jurisdiction will extend over the entire nation.

It will be directly involved in investigating cybercrimes and cyberattacks by searching for and arresting suspects and sending them to prosecutors. The squad will also participate in joint international operations.

The squad will be dedicated to investigating serious incidents such as those significantly threatening the operations of the central government, local public entities and key infrastructure, instances requiring advanced skills to deal with computer viruses or cases involving overseas hackers.

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