The Yomiuri Shimbun's front page reported that the Japanese government has begun coordinating to create a "National Intelligence Agency," which will serve as the command center for domestic and foreign intelligence (intelligence collection and analysis) activities. Prime Minister Kishida instructed Chief Cabinet Secretary Kimoto to consider it. By aggregating and analyzing information across ministries and agencies, the aim is to enhance the capability to respond to activities by foreign forces that threaten security and national interests.
Intelligence methods include person-to-person contact, the use of satellite images, and the selection of large amounts of public information. In addition, information is collected to determine if there are movements of foreign forces threatening Japan's security, and whether sensitive information has been stolen.
The Prime Minister advocated strengthening intelligence, and establishing the agency was a presidential campaign promise. The Japan Innovation Party also has the capacity to push forward, and the establishment of the policy has been included in the coalition government agreement signed between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Innovation Party on the 20th.
According to multiple sources, the government plans to establish a "National Intelligence Committee" composed of relevant ministers, with the agency responsible for the secretariat. It is expected that next year, a bill to establish the parliament will be submitted to the regular parliament.
Currently, institutions such as the Cabinet Office's Internal Intelligence Research Room (Nai-Kan), the Police Department's Counterterrorism Division, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' International Intelligence Organization, the Defense Ministry's Intelligence Headquarters, and the Ministry of Justice's Public Security Investigation Bureau are all operating. Although they provide information to the National Security Agency established in 2014 as needed, it has been pointed out that the function of centralized command and integration of information is insufficient.
The government plans to reorganize the National Intelligence Agency, which will conduct internal investigations, and the National Security Agency at the same level, and grant each ministry the power to issue instructions. The Cabinet Intelligence Officer, as the highest internal investigator, will also be upgraded to the "National Intelligence Director," who will be on par with the Director of the National Security Agency.
The National Intelligence Agency is heading to collect staff from the Police Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and the Public Security Investigation Agency, to consolidate information from various ministries. Positioning the head of the National Intelligence Agency as a position directly under the Prime Minister and the Chief Cabinet Secretary aims to strengthen the intelligence activities led by the Prime Minister's office.
About strengthening the external intelligence function of collecting international terrorism intelligence, the Abe Cabinet established a specialized organization within 15 years.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846817184879628/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.