Japan wants American help tracking the masterminds of the first-ever hack of a Japanese government Web site. The hack included replacing the site's home page with a direct switch to Playboy's Web sites.
On Jan. 25, computer systems at Japan's Science and Technology Agency were raided and the home page was replaced with messages insulting the Japanese, as well as the porn links, Reuters says.
The details of the messages were not divulged. Hours later, Reuters says, Japan's Management and Coordination Agency also found its Web site hacked similarly. But it isn't known whether the same person or people were responsible for the attacks.
Japanese government spokesman Mikio Aoki tells Reuters the government would start an extensive probe into the hacking, including potential help from Washington which was more advanced in dealing with hackers.
``(We) must take all necessary measures including seeking help from the United States,'' Aoki says.
