Published on: 2026-07-31
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Tokyo, July 31 /Xinhua/ — A centralized intelligence agency began operations in Japan on Friday, local media report. There are concerns that the new body lacks mechanisms of oversight and checks and balances.
According to the Kyodo News Agency, the establishment of the National Intelligence Directorate (NID), which replaced the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office that had limited powers, followed the adoption in May of the law creating the National Intelligence Council.
Kazuya Hara, who held the position of Director of the Intelligence and Research Bureau at the Cabinet Secretariat since June 2023 and previously served in senior positions at the National Police Agency, took office as Director of the NRU on Friday.
The NRO serves as the secretariat of the National Intelligence Council — the central command body headed by the Prime Minister, which includes key ministers. It will coordinate intelligence information collected by the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and other agencies, and has the authority to demand information from them.
The council is expected to hold its first meeting on Friday to begin discussions on Japan’s first national intelligence strategy, government sources said.
The intensification of intelligence activities has raised concerns about increased surveillance of citizens and arbitrary use of information by the government, as well as questions about whether these two agencies will maintain political neutrality and whether the proposed laws will lead to violations of citizens’ rights to privacy.
Critics oppose this move, arguing that it not only raises concerns about unnecessary intrusions on personal information and privacy, but also strengthens the authority of the new administration without oversight and checks mechanisms.
Please note; This information is raw content received directly from the information source. It is an exact report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.