On July 31st, a new National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) began operations in Tokyo. It was established by the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as an executive branch of the newly created National Intelligence Council, which is chaired by the Prime Minister.
Japanese media have dubbed the new agency "Japan's CIA." The intelligence reform is seen as an important step in Japan's efforts to strengthen its intelligence capabilities and further distance itself from the post-war security framework.
However, the creation of the bureau has also raised concerns about whether Japan is returning to practices reminiscent of the infamous Tokko, a special higher police force. Before and during World War II, the Tokko suppressed dissenting voices and enforced ideological control.
The first meeting of the National Intelligence Council took place on July 31st at 10:30 AM at the Prime Minister's office. It was attended by Sanae Takaichi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, and other ministers. The National Intelligence Bureau was formally established on the same day.
According to analysts, Japan is not only focused on gathering its own intelligence. Thanks to its capabilities in signals intelligence, electronic surveillance, and its strategic location, Tokyo seeks to become a more valuable partner for Western intelligence agencies. It may also attempt to deepen cooperation with the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
The New York Times reported that Japanese officials have privately consulted with allies, including the United States, Australia, and Germany, in recent months regarding the technology, staffing, and priorities of the new intelligence system.
Prime Minister Takaichi has been advocating for strengthening intelligence capabilities for several months. In March, the government introduced legislation that created an intelligence framework based on the National Intelligence Council and its executive branch, the NIB. Both houses of parliament approved the law in less than 70 days.
According to the text, the government is expected to take further steps. These include a law against espionage, the creation of a foreign intelligence agency, and Japan's first National Intelligence Strategy.
Critics fear that these measures may further concentrate intelligence powers in the hands of the state and weaken safeguards created in the post-war system. These safeguards were intended to prevent excessive concentration of state power.
In the past, the expansion of Japanese intelligence capabilities has been accompanied by overseas military expansion. Before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Japanese intelligence agencies gathered information about weather conditions, terrain, and the deployment of American aircraft and naval vessels.
After Japan's defeat, its intelligence system was deliberately fragmented, in part to prevent a return to wartime militarism. This is why the creation of a centralized intelligence agency today evokes such sensitive reactions.
The Tokko was a security organization responsible for political oversight, suppressing social movements, and silencing anti-war voices. The creation of the NIB, therefore, raises concerns among critics about whether intelligence power in Japan will once again become dangerously concentrated.
The Times highlighted the challenge of preventing the new agency from repeating abuses associated with pre-war security institutions. The Week, on the other hand, mentioned concerns about domestic political interference, expanding state surveillance, and the potential use of intelligence services for partisan interests.
Other analysts also point to similarities between NIB (National Intelligence Bureau) and Tokkō, particularly the concentration of intelligence information under a limited number of decision-making bodies, and the current strengthening of both domestic surveillance and foreign intelligence gathering.
Al Jazeera described this move as another sign that Japan is distancing itself from the security framework created after World War II. The Washington Post called the establishment of NIB a significant expansion of Japanese security powers, coming after increased defense spending and efforts to ease restrictions on the export of lethal weapons.
Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Jiang Bin stated on July 30th that Japan is using alleged security threats as an excuse to centrally and militarize its intelligence institutions.
According to Jiang, these steps are closely linked to Japan's military buildup and expansion of armaments. In practice, he says, a system is being created that serves military expansion and preparations for war, which poses a serious risk to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
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