Japan moves to build new centralised spy agency amid regional tensions

Japan is moving ahead with plans to create a new centralised intelligence agency, in what would be the country's first such body since World War II. The proposal comes as Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae says stronger intelligence capabilities are urgently needed amid rising regional tensions. The move is being framed in Tokyo as part of a broader effort to respond to foreign interference, cyber threats and disinformation.

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Takaichi has described strengthening intelligence capabilities as "a matter of the utmost urgency", citing geopolitical shifts across the region. She has also raised concerns about the unauthorised leakage of advanced technology involving foreign intelligence agents, cyberattacks on both public and private sectors, and disinformation campaigns aimed at shaping public opinion in favour of a particular country. A newly formed expert panel has been meeting to help develop a long-term intelligence strategy.

Japan's current intelligence structure is fragmented, with police, defence and foreign affairs departments all collecting information but not always sharing it effectively. According to a senior research fellow involved in the discussion, the old system failed to ensure that the country as a whole carried out intelligence gathering and analysis in a properly coordinated way. The government has already established a new overarching security council headed by the prime minister, as well as a National Intelligence Bureau.

The planned restructuring matters because it would mark a significant shift in how Japan organises national security. Japan has long relied on a dispersed model rather than a single central agency, a legacy that has shaped its post-war security posture. A more unified intelligence system would give the government a clearer mechanism for assessing threats, coordinating responses and protecting sensitive technology.

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The push is also linked to wider concerns about China and military build-up in the region. Japan's increased defence spending and closer ties with the United States have already drawn criticism from Beijing, according to the report. At the same time, discussion in Tokyo has extended to whether Japan should deepen security cooperation with partners such as AUKUS, reflecting a broader debate over how far the country should go in strengthening its strategic capabilities.

The reported plans suggest that Japan is trying to adapt its security architecture to a more complex threat environment. Foreign interference, cyberattacks and technology leakage are increasingly being treated together as part of the same national security challenge. That approach reflects a growing view among Japanese officials and analysts that intelligence collection, analysis and coordination can no longer be handled in separate silos.

What remains unclear is how quickly the government can turn the proposal into a functioning institution, and what powers the new body would ultimately have. It is also not yet clear whether the agency would be modelled directly on a foreign intelligence service or take a different form. The next steps are likely to depend on the work of the expert panel and on how far the government is prepared to go in centralising intelligence authority.

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