The government is moving forward with efforts to strengthen its intelligence capabilities, a centerpiece of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s policy agenda.
As a first step, the government plans to establish a national intelligence bureau as early as July. In addition, discussions on enhancing foreign intelligence-gathering capacities and legislation related to counterespionage are expected to take shape later this summer.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, the top government spokesman, has explained that the aim is to “prevent undue interference from foreign countries amid a complex and challenging international environment.” But some opposition parties have expressed concern over possible human rights violations.
In late April, the House of Representatives, the powerful lower chamber of Japan’s parliament, passed a bill to establish a national intelligence council headed by the prime minister. The body would be responsible for “important intelligence activities” contributing to the maintenance of national security and the prevention of terrorism, as well as for countering influence operations by foreign powers.
A proposed national intelligence bureau, which would serve as its secretariat, would be created through an upgrading of the existing Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office.
The bureau would be granted comprehensive coordination authority as a command center for intelligence agencies currently dispersed across the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry, the National Police Agency and other organizations, thereby enhancing the government’s capacity to consolidate and analyze intelligence.
The Liberal Democratic Party’s Headquarters for Intelligence Strategy, headed by the party’s Policy Research Council Chairman Takayuki Kobayashi, has outlined a three-step road map for strengthening Japan’s intelligence capabilities.
Regarding the second phase, following the establishment of the national intelligence bureau, the LDP panel’s recent proposals envision creating a foreign intelligence agency and establishing a foreign agents registration law that would require individuals and organizations suspected of conducting influence operations on behalf of foreign powers to report their activities.
The panel also emphasized the need to “consider new legislation if necessary” to deter and crack down on espionage activities, according to its proposals submitted to Takaichi in March.
The government is expected to establish a council of experts as early as this summer to work out details. The LDP plans a third phase aimed at achieving “further enhancement” of these functions.
Ahead of the government and ruling coalition, the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and Sanseito each submitted a similar bill during last year’s extraordinary session of parliament. Both opposition parties submitted their bills again in the current parliamentary session.
The DPP proposal calls for establishing within three years a legal framework needed for a foreign agent registration system and for measures to counter cognitive warfare using false and misleading information. Sanseito’s proposals include the formulation of a basic counterintelligence policy…