Japan launches National Intelligence Bureau amid counter-espionage push

Japan launched its new National Intelligence Bureau on July 31, a significant step in Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration to bolster the nation's intelligence gathering and counter-espionage measures. The bureau's creation follows the enactment of a law in May that also established the National Security Council, a central command body led by the prime minister and nine other Cabinet ministers.

The National Security Council is poised to convene its inaugural meeting soon, according to government sources, to begin formulating Japan's inaugural national intelligence strategy. This dual establishment of the bureau and council is seen as a crucial precursor to introducing counter-espionage legislation, which Takaichi, known for his strong stance on national security, argues is essential to address increasingly complex global threats.

The National Intelligence Bureau will function as the secretariat for the council, tasked with harmonizing intelligence collected by diverse entities such as the National Police Agency, the Foreign Ministry, and the Defence Ministry. It possesses the authority to compel these organizations to share their findings. While an upgraded version of the previous Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, it maintains a staff of approximately 730.

Kazuya Hara, who previously directed Cabinet intelligence, assumed leadership of the new bureau. His background includes senior roles within the NPA's Security Bureau and service as an executive secretary to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The government plans to form an expert panel under the council by autumn to deliberate on counter-espionage legislation, aiming for submission to the Diet next year. Proposed legislation may include systems for registering foreign government agents involved in lobbying and the establishment of a dedicated Japanese foreign intelligence agency.

“

needed to respond to increasingly complex overseas threats.