Japan latest country to exclude Huawei, ZTE from 5G roll-out over security concerns

Japan’s decision adds to the list of countries that have pushed back on Huawei’s involvement in 5G infrastructure plans

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Last week it signed a contract to upgrade Portugal’s No 1 phone network into the 5G standard. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:30pm, 10 Dec 2018Updated: 12:06am, 11 Dec 2018

Japan decided on Monday to effectively exclude Chinese telecoms equipment giants Huawei Technologies and ZTE from public procurement, the government said, adding to the list of countries that have pushed back against the Chinese technology companies on security issues.

The decision comes amid concerns about security breaches that have already prompted the US and some other countries to ban the two Chinese companies from supplying network infrastructure products.

Cybersecurity officials of relevant Japanese government ministries and agencies agreed on the plan, but did not explicitly name the companies in consideration of the potential impact on ties between Tokyo and Beijing, which have shown signs of improvement in recent months.

Japan adds to the roll call of countries who have effectively blocked Huawei from taking part in 5G mobile network infrastructure build-outs, including the US, Australia, and New Zealand, upping the pressure on the Chinese telecom equipment giant as it seeks to take the lead in next generation mobile networks amid a trade and technology stand-off between the US and China. The UK and Canada are weighing up the possible security risks posed by Huawei too.

In August, the US, a key ally of Japan, enacted the National Defence Authorisation Act to ban the government’s use of Huawei and ZTE technology products and services on concerns over their connections with Chinese intelligence. Australia and New Zealand have also excluded both firms from their next-generation 5G mobile network roll-outs.

ZTE declined to comment on reports of Japan’s decision on Monday. Huawei did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

The Japanese ban marks the first setback Huawei has officially encountered from its East Asia neighbours. In August, when Japanese business newspaper Sankei Shimbun first reported that Japan may consider a ban in a move to align it with the US and Australia, Huawei said the news was “unsubstantiated rumour, and not factual”.