Japanese media criticizes Japan's plan to establish a "National Intelligence Agency"

On the morning of the 13th, Japan’s Cabinet approved legislation at a Cabinet meeting to establish a “National Intelligence Council” and a “National Intelligence Agency” responsible for specific affairs, with the aim of strengthening the overall command and coordination functions in the fields of intelligence collection and analysis. As reported by Japan’s Asahi Shimbun on the 13th, the “National Intelligence Council” will be led by the Japanese Prime Minister. Its members will include 11 senior officials, such as the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defense, and others, and it will review “important intelligence activities” in areas including security and counter-terrorism, as well as “overseas intelligence activities” related to foreign spies. Meanwhile, the “National Intelligence Agency” will serve as the council’s executive body and also as the command center for activities such as intelligence collection and analysis. The existing Cabinet Intelligence Investigation Office, which is currently under the leadership of the Chief Cabinet Secretary, will be upgraded, and its head will be reassigned to the rank of State Minister-level “Director of the National Intelligence Agency.” The agency will not only conduct intelligence collection work on its own, but will also be granted “comprehensive coordination authority” so that it can gather intelligence from various ministries and departments and carry out overall analysis. (Global Times)