FOCUS: Japan Prime Minister’s Office to Lead Intelligence Efforts

Tokyo, July 14 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is expected to establish a national intelligence council as early as July to strengthen its command over intelligence gathering and analysis. The council, to be chaired by the prime minister, is intended to create an intelligence framework led by the prime minister’s office and improve coordination across government agencies. As part of broader efforts to enhance Japan’s intelligence capabilities, the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also plans to accelerate discussions on countermeasures against foreign espionage and the training of intelligence personnel. Still, concerns have not been dispelled that such measures could infringe on human rights. Breaking Down Silos The national intelligence council will consist of the prime minister, the chief cabinet secretary, the financial services minister, the chair of the National Public Safety Commission, the justice minister, the foreign minister, the finance minister, the economy, trade and industry minister, the land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister, and the defense minister. It will be responsible for examining and deliberating on “important intelligence activities,” including those linked to national security and terrorism, as well as “foreign intelligence operations” such as espionage by foreign powers. It will also determine basic policy on intelligence activities. The number of council members may be increased or reduced depending on the issues under consideration. Until now, Japan’s intelligence operations have been handled separately by the National Police Agency, the Foreign Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the Defense Ministry and other government bodies. However, the negative effects of bureaucratic “siloing” have become increasingly apparent. The law establishing the national intelligence council, enacted in late May, aims to centralize intelligence gathering and improve coordination across government agencies. To address entrenched sectionalism, the law explicitly states that each ministry and agency “must provide materials and information to the council at the request of the chair.” The practical work of gathering and analyzing intelligence will be carried out by a new national intelligence bureau, which will be established within the Cabinet Secretariat when the council is created. The existing Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office will be upgraded and reorganized as the bureau, which is expected to have an initial staff of about 700 personnel. Bureau staff will be additionally recruited through mid-career hiring and personnel exchanges with the private sector. The bureau will be led by a director-general position, formed by the upgrading of the existing post of cabinet intelligence officer. The director-general will hold a rank equivalent to that of the secretary-general of national security. No Explicit Safeguards Meanwhile, concerns about public surveillance and potential privacy violations stemming from the abuse of expanded intelligence capabilities remain unaddressed. The law contains no explicit provisions to protect privacy, nor does it establish an independent third-party body to oversee intelligence activities. In response to protests from opposition parties, the government has repeatedly insisted that it will not unnecessarily infringe on citizens’ privacy. The ruling and opposition parties also adopted a supplementary resolution stating that “due consideration will be given to information protection.” But it remains unclear whether this will serve as an effective safeguard in practice. Takaichi has expressed eagerness to further strengthen Japan’s intelligence capabilities. “I have said that this law is the first step in reform aimed at strengthening our country’s intelligence capabilities,” she told reporters in late May after the law establishing the national intelligence council was enacted. The coalition agreement between the Takaichi-led Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party calls for the establishment of a foreign intelligence agency by the end of fiscal 2027, along with the swift enactment of legislation related to espionage prevention. The Takaichi administration is preparing to set up a panel of experts on these issues in conjunction with the launch of the national intelligence council and to move into full-scale deliberations. Both proposals, however, are likely to provoke stronger backlash. Takaichi herself has described them as “policies that split national opinion.” A senior government official indicated that the administration intends to proceed cautiously, saying, “We must move forward carefully so as to gain public support.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]