The "CIA" of Japan is about to be established, aiming to increase "intelligence activities" within the region and gain insight into "adversaries."
According to a front-page report in the Yomiuri Shimbun, the Japanese government plans to establish the "National Intelligence Agency" this summer as an institution responsible for core intelligence functions—information collection and analysis. Initially, the agency will have approximately 700 staff members, roughly 70% of the current size of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office (CIR), with plans to expand personnel afterward. A professional civil servant recruitment exam is scheduled for next year, while the government is also considering mid-career hires to bring in talent capable of engaging with overseas institutions, as well as technical specialists.
Several government sources revealed that the "Act on the Establishment of the National Intelligence Council," which serves as the legal basis for setting up the agency, has already passed through the House of Representatives in April, with deliberations in the House of Councillors expected to begin on the 8th. The government aims to establish the agency swiftly, with the earliest possible launch around July.
The new agency will upgrade and restructure the existing CIR. Currently, the CIR comprises around 700 officials serving part-time across various ministries; the new agency will initially be established at a similar scale.
Typically, the head of the CIR—the Cabinet Intelligence Officer—is drawn from the Police Agency, while senior positions are filled by officials dispatched from agencies such as the Police Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previously, comprehensive career recruitment under the "civil service system" had not been conducted within the CIR, but this will change with the establishment of the new agency.
The agency will also actively pursue mid-career hiring from private enterprises. Since the agency will be tasked with exchanging information with overseas institutions, analyzing foreign intelligence, and countering false and misleading information spreading on social media, it will prioritize recruiting individuals with advanced language skills and expertise in internet-related technologies.
To manage vast amounts of data, "we need to establish efficient and effective methods utilizing artificial intelligence (AI)" (Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiwami), meaning the agency is also considering aggressive recruitment of technical personnel capable of handling AI systems.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864487133872128/
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