Japan’s New Cybersecurity Minister Admits He Doesn't Actually Use Computers

Yoshitaka Sakurada obviously needed no experience for the role.
|

No experience was obviously necessary for this important government job.

Japan’s new minister in charge of cybersecurity made a startling admission on Wednesday: he doesn’t actually use computers.

Since I was 25, I have been in a position of authority where secretaries and employees handle such tasks for me,” Yoshitaka Sakurada, 68, told a Lower House cabinet committee meeting, per The Japan Times.

I give instructions to my aide and so I don’t punch into a computer myself,” he added, per The Associated Press. “But I am confident our work is flawless.” 

Open Image Modal
Yoshitaka Sakurada may be Japan's new minister in charge of cybersecurity, but he doesn't actually use computers.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Multiple media outlets noted that Sakurada, whose ministerial portfolio includes the organization of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, also appeared clueless about how USB sticks work when answering questions about the security of the country’s power grid.

It’s unbelievable that someone who has not touched computers is responsible for cybersecurity policies,” British newspaper The Guardian reported opposition lawmaker Masato Imai as saying.

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go