TOKYO — Japan is drawing on expertise from the United States, Australia and several European partners as it develops a new centralized intelligence organization, part of a broader effort to strengthen national security and improve coordination against cyber threats, espionage and foreign interference, according to government officials and people familiar with the initiative.
The planned overhaul would create Japan's first centralized intelligence structure since World War Two by expanding the role of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office into a National Intelligence Bureau responsible for integrating information collected by agencies including the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, National Police Agency and Public Security Intelligence Agency. The bureau would support a prime minister-led National Intelligence Council overseeing intelligence policy.
Officials familiar with the discussions said the United States has advised Tokyo on strengthening cyber defenses, protecting sensitive technologies, countering industrial espionage and improving screening of foreign influence operations. Australia has shared experience on intelligence coordination and information-sharing systems, while Germany has discussed organizational design and intelligence cooperation during high-level exchanges.
The reforms come as Japan cites growing security concerns linked to China's expanding military capabilities, Russia's activities in the region and North Korea's missile and nuclear programs. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has made intelligence reform part of a wider security agenda that also includes expanding defense capabilities, improving economic security and strengthening resilience against cyber attacks.
According to government plans previously outlined by officials, the new bureau would have greater authority to coordinate intelligence across ministries, addressing longstanding criticism that Japan's intelligence community has remained fragmented and that agencies have often failed to share information effectively. The government also aims to establish a dedicated foreign intelligence organization by the end of fiscal 2027 and is considering additional counter-espionage legislation.
Supporters of the reforms argue that a centralized structure would improve decision-making, strengthen cooperation with allies and enhance Japan's ability to respond to increasingly complex security challenges. Some civil liberties advocates, however, have raised concerns that expanded intelligence powers should be accompanied by robust legal oversight and safeguards to protect individual rights.
The government has said legislation establishing the new intelligence framework is intended to strengthen national security while maintaining democratic accountability. Officials have indicated implementation will proceed in stages, with further institutional development and expanded intelligence capabilities planned over the coming year.
