Japan forms first national intelligence agency, eyes its own CIA

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has announced that her government will introduce its first national intelligence strategy that may ultimately lead to the creation of an external intelligence agency of Japan in the line of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States of America. The decision is in accordance with a proposal made by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan that has called for the creation of an external intelligence agency of Japan.

“We must strengthen our intelligence capabilities to ensure public safety and protect the national interest,” Ms. Takaichi said at the inaugural meeting of an expert panel on intelligence capabilities earlier this week. The Prime Minister said that before announcing the strategy, her government will give out directions for reforms in the intelligence sector of Japan.

The demand for the overhaul of intelligence gathering network of Japan has gained strength in recent months amidst allegations that foreign powers like the U.S., Russia and China have been using Japan for their intelligence operations and that Japan is uncomfortable about such foreign operations on its soil.

The overhaul of intelligence capabilities is part of the overall changes taking place in the security sector of the Japanese state in recent years. The Hindu reported on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) that Japan is revising three policy documents on national security, national defence and military supplies (national defence build-up) ahead of time because of the challenges that are emanating from the active battlefields of West Asia and Ukraine.

TheJapan News of The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that at the meeting of the expert panel on intelligence activities cases related to foreign espionage in Japan were mentioned, which included an incident involving an employee of a machinery company. The person concerned allegedly provided secret information to a source who was reportedly a Russian intelligence officer.

The LDP government has maintained that there is an “urgent” need for Japan to update its intelligence-gathering capabilities and bring appropriate legislation that would strengthen Japan’s counter-intelligence abilities. The meeting of the expert panel that included Prime Minister Takaichi also featured members who sought public and international consultation before Japan went ahead with the plans. The expert panel discussing Japan’s intelligence overhaul consists of 17 experts and is led by Toshiya Watanabe, a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, The Yomiuri Shimbun said on Wednesday (September 30, 2026).

The Japanese daily reported that the authorities here are studying measures against foreign espionage and terrorism initiated by countries like the U.S., Britain, France, Australia, Canada and others, which have been accompanied by steps aimed at preventing abuse of such surveillance tactics and protecting freedom of the press and the privacy of citizens.