Japan moves to create first centralized intelligence agency since World War II

Japan is moving ahead with plans to create its first centralized intelligence body since World War II, in a significant overhaul of how the government gathers and analyses security information. The reform is intended to strengthen the country's response to espionage, foreign interference and other threats from abroad. It also marks a shift away from a long-standing reliance on external intelligence support, particularly from the United States.

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Legislation to establish the new structure has already passed both houses of the National Diet, clearing the upper house in May after earlier approval in the lower house. The law is described as a first step by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who has linked the change to efforts to improve Japan's espionage capabilities. Under the plan, the existing Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office will be reorganised into a centralised National Intelligence Council and a National Intelligence Bureau.

The new system is designed to create a command centre for intelligence gathering and analysis, while also giving the government an operational agency. Supporters of the reform say it should improve coordination between departments and reduce barriers that have limited the flow of information. One academic cited in the reporting said the model would be original to Japan, while another said the aim is to ensure intelligence products better meet policymakers' needs.

The move matters because it comes as Tokyo says it faces threats from nearby countries including North Korea, Russia and China. It also reflects a broader debate in Japan about how far the country should go in building independent security capabilities after decades shaped by its post-war pacifist constitution. The reform is therefore not only administrative, but also strategic, as Japan seeks to adapt to a more contested regional security environment.

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The change also comes against the backdrop of shifting expectations among Western allies. The reporting says the United States, Germany and Australia are advising Tokyo on how to set up the new body. That external input suggests the reform is being treated as a serious institutional project, rather than a symbolic announcement, and that Japan is trying to align its intelligence architecture more closely with the practices of other advanced democracies.

Japan's foreign and national security policy was closely aligned with the United States during the Cold War, but the reporting says that approach has gradually changed in recent years. The article also notes that Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised allies for depending too heavily on American defence support, adding pressure on partners to build more of their own capabilities. What remains unclear is how quickly the new bodies will become fully operational, how much authority they will have, and how the transition from the current office will be managed.

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