Japan's Expert Panel Discusses Counterespionage and New Intelligence Agency

Japan has held its first meeting of an expert panel aimed at strengthening intelligence capabilities and enhancing counterespionage measures. The closed-door session, which took place in late September, was led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and included 17 panel members. The agenda focused on drafting a formal medium and long-term national intelligence strategy document and evaluating proposals for establishing a new foreign-oriented intelligence agency.

The panel's discussions included the need for counter-espionage legislation, particularly the establishment of a foreign interference prevention law. Japan has not had a comprehensive anti-espionage law since the dismantling of its intelligence-gathering apparatus by Allied occupation authorities after World War II. This absence has hindered the country's ability to prosecute spies and negotiate the return of Japanese nationals detained abroad.

The proposed external intelligence agency, comparable to the United States Central Intelligence Agency, was highlighted as a priority in the coalition agreement between Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party in October 2025. If established, this agency would mark a significant shift in Japan's intelligence framework, with plans for its creation by early 2028.

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Following the panel meeting, Prime Minister Takaichi expressed her concerns regarding increasing threats to Japan's advanced technology, including cyberattacks on both public and private sectors, as well as foreign disinformation campaigns. She emphasized the necessity of expanding Japan's foreign intelligence capabilities to mitigate undue interference from abroad, particularly from nations like China, North Korea, and Russia.

Since taking office in October 2025, Takaichi has prioritized intelligence and security reform. Her administration adopted a bill in March 2026 to create a Japanese equivalent of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, aimed at tightening scrutiny of foreign investments in sensitive sectors. Additionally, in July 2026, the government launched the National Intelligence Council and the National Intelligence Bureau, both tasked with collecting intelligence related to national security and public safety.