Japan establishes first centralized intelligence agency since WWII
Japan is creating its first centralized intelligence agency since World War II to modernize defense capabilities against espionage and foreign interference from China, Russia, and North Korea.
Japan’s parliament passed legislation in May to establish a new centralized intelligence agency, marking the first such body since World War II. The law creates the National Intelligence Council, which will serve as the government’s command center for intelligence gathering and analysis, and the National Intelligence Bureau for operational work. This reform replaces the existing Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office (CIRO), which had no legal intelligence mandates since its establishment in 1952.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the law as “a first step” toward strengthening Japan’s espionage capabilities. The new agency is being set up with advice from Western allies, including the United States, Germany, and Australia, but experts say it will be original to Japan.
According to experts, the current decentralized system has failed because no agency has the authority to force cooperation, leading to scattered intelligence data. Japan also lacks anti-espionage and foreign influence transparency laws, making it a “paradise for spies,” as former Soviet intelligence officers operating in Japan have noted.
Takaichi, who took office in October 2025, has accelerated military reforms, including approving the largest defense budget ever at $58 billion in December and moving to lift a ban on exporting lethal weapons in April.
Public opposition to the new intelligence reform is low: a poll showed only 19% opposed, 40% indifferent, and the rest in favor. Professor Ken Kotani noted that the “taboo has gone,” especially among younger generations.
Historically, Japan’s defeat in WWII created deep distrust of state surveillance due to the Tokko secret police. Article 9 of the constitution renounces war, and Japan has relied on US intelligence. However, experts argue the reform does not create new powers for domestic surveillance against civilians. Sanshiro Hosaka stated, “The legislation does not itself create significant new intelligence collection or counterintelligence powers.”
