LDP Drafts Recommendations to Strengthen Intelligence Activities

Tokyo, Feb. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has drafted recommendations to strengthen the country’s intelligence activities, which is sought by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The recommendations call for granting the planned national intelligence agency the authority to gather information from other government bodies and giving the agency’s head a status equivalent to parliamentary vice minister. On Thursday, the LDP’s intelligence strategy headquarters, chaired by party policy chief Takayuki Kobayashi, approved the recommendations, which are expected to be submitted to the prime minister early next month after coordination with the Japan Innovation Party, the LDP’s coalition partner. In the recommendations, the LDP states that it is an urgent task to build a system that will drastically strengthen Japan’s own intelligence capabilities and allow the country to make autonomous strategic decisions. In particular, the party stresses the need to strengthen the country’s signals intelligence, or SIGINT, capabilities. The party also urges the government to establish a panel of experts to consider legislation to oblige foreign agents to report their activities in Japan and to crack down on foreign espionage activities. Regarding human rights concerns over efforts to strengthen intelligence activities, the party acknowledges that it is necessary to enhance democratic oversight. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]