Japan Will Revive Its Intelligence Service For The First Time Since World War II
- 14.07.2026, 13:29
The United States is assisting Tokyo in this effort.
The Japanese government will establish its first centralized intelligence service since World War II. According to The New York Times, Tokyo is already consulting with the United States, Australia, and Germany on technology, personnel, and operational organization as it establishes the agency. The reform is part of a sweeping overhaul of Japan’s security policy amid growing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.
The new agency is expected to be operational by December and will report directly to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The initial staff will consist of several hundred employees, including cybersecurity specialists, software engineers, and analysts, and the budget is estimated at $400 million. The agency will coordinate the work of approximately 33,000 personnel who are already engaged in intelligence activities within the police, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other agencies.
U.S. intelligence agencies are helping Tokyo develop systems for cybersecurity, countering industrial espionage, monitoring foreign investments, and tracking the activities of foreign intelligence services. “This is a very important step. The prime minister has made this reform a priority,” said the Australian ambassador to Japan Andrew Shearer, who previously headed Australia’s National Intelligence Organization and has advised Japanese authorities.
Earlier, the NYT reported that after the mass expulsion of Russian intelligence officers from Europe in 2022, many of them relocated to Japan. According to the publication, Moscow used the country as one of its key hubs for procuring dual-use components for weapons production and circumventing Western sanctions. Ukrainian authorities estimate that about 90% of Russian missiles and drones contain Japanese parts.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara acknowledged the need to tighten measures against foreign espionage. However, the reform has drawn criticism within the country. Opposition lawmaker Mizuhō Fukushima stated that the absence of an independent intelligence service over the past eight decades was a deliberate choice, based on Japan’s desire to remain a peaceful nation and the lessons of World War II. According to her, the new structure infringes on the right to privacy and paves the way for a society of total surveillance.
The creation of a unified intelligence agency marks the most significant reform of Japan’s intelligence community since the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who, after coming to power, established a National Security Council modeled after the U.S. system. Takai, who is considered his political successor, is continuing this course: she has already secured the largest increase in military spending since the war and lifted restrictions on arms exports.