Japan's Cabinet approved the launch of a new National Intelligence Bureau on July 31 and appointed Kazuya Hara as its first director.
Japan's Cabinet on Friday approved the launch of a new National Intelligence Bureau on July 31 and the appointment of its director. The move is part of efforts to strengthen counterespionage capabilities following a May law.
Kazuya Hara, who has served as director of Cabinet Intelligence since June 2023 and previously held senior positions at the National Police Agency, was named the bureau's first director. The National Intelligence Bureau will upgrade the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office and act as secretariat for the National Intelligence Council.
The first meeting of the National Intelligence Council, chaired by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is planned for July 31. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the launch is significant in today's increasingly challenging international environment as it will enable the government to make sound policy decisions based on higher-quality, more timely intelligence.
The government plans to convene an expert panel this summer and submit relevant bills to next year's parliamentary session, including measures on registering foreign agents.
