Japan has established the National Intelligence Bureau as its first centralized intelligence structure since World War II. The new bureau officially became operational on Friday, July 31, following the upgrading of the existing Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office (CIRO).
The National Intelligence Bureau is set to serve as the secretariat for the National Intelligence Council. The Council held its first meeting on Friday, chaired by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and is composed of the Prime Minister and nine other Cabinet members.
Kazuya Hara, who has served as the director of Cabinet Intelligence since June 2023, was appointed as the first director of the National Intelligence Bureau. The bureau has the authority to require organizations, including the National Police Agency, the Foreign Ministry, and the Defense Ministry, to share intelligence.
The bureau's focus includes counter-terrorism, national emergency response, foreign espionage, and covert influence operations. As part of these efforts, the Japanese government is considering the establishment of a separate external intelligence agency similar to the US CIA or the UK MI6.
This is the first step in intelligence reforms.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated that the new bodies will allow the government to make sound decisions based on higher-quality, more timely intelligence. Prime Minister Takaichi described the move as necessary to make the previously disjointed intelligence apparatus more fit for purpose.
Legislative and budget details
The National Intelligence Bureau is expected to have a budget of roughly $407 million. Reports on the initial workforce vary, with some sources estimating approximately 700 employees while others report around 730 staff members.
The Japanese government plans to establish a panel under the National Intelligence Council by autumn to discuss new counterespionage legislation. Proposed laws may include requirements for registering foreign government agents engaged in lobbying. Additionally, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has proposed penalties for foreign influence operations and expanded communications interception.
Criticism and security concerns
The intelligence overhaul builds on efforts made by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who established the National Security Council in 2013 and 2014. However, the reform has faced domestic and international scrutiny.
Constitutional Democratic Party MP Makoto Oniki expressed concerns regarding risks to personal information protection and privacy. In May, a protest involving more than 200 people took place before the bill was discussed in parliament.
International reactions have been critical. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called the establishment of the bureau another negative development in Japan's security policies. China's state-run Global Times also noted that the July 31 launch date shares the number '731' with a Japanese military unit from World War II.
Security discussions in Japan also involve the presence of approximately 55,000 US military personnel. Recent reports by The New York Times suggested Russia uses Japan as a source of dual-use technology for the war in Ukraine, while Ukrainian government estimates suggest that 90 percent of Russian missiles and drones contain Japanese components.