On the evening of May 19, 2026, Japanese citizens gathered in front of the National Diet Building in Tokyo to protest the Sanae Takaichi administration's attempts to revise the constitution and its series of military buildup moves. Photo: VCG

With the bill approved by the House of Councillors on Wednesday, Japan's parliament enacted a law to establish a new "national intelligence council" aimed at enhancing national intelligence capabilities. Analysts warned that the latest move goes far beyond domestic worries over eroded privacy rights. It represents a key attempt by Japan to restore its wartime intelligence capacity and another stride toward neo-militarism, and peace-loving neighboring countries must stay highly alert.

According to the Kyodo News, establishing the council is a key aim in the governing agenda of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who has pledged to strengthen intelligence and counterespionage capabilities as part of a response to what her government calls "the most complex security environment since the end of World War II."

The Japanese media said the council will be chaired by the prime minister and composed of nine other Cabinet members, including the chief Cabinet secretary and foreign minister. 

In addition, the Japanese government could establish the council and bureau as early as July and set up an expert panel to discuss counterespionage legislation. It is expected to formulate policy with an eye to submitting a bill during the regular parliamentary session in 2027, reported the Kyodo News. 

The bill, while eventually adopted, was opposed collectively by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party and other forces, with some believing that the legislation serves the interests of the US security strategy, which would undermine Japan's national interests, according to Japanese media reports. 

It also raises concerns across Japanese society. Tokyo Shimbun said Tuesday that 3,240 members of Japanese civil organizations protested outside the National Diet. A civic group representative stated, "The bill will inflict long-term damage on Japan's political landscape."

From the Global Times reporter's observations, many of the Japanese media outlets only ran factual reports on the bill's passage, while a small number covered public discontent and concerns. However, a Chinese expert pointed out that the dangers are far greater.

"Intelligence is not merely about collecting and collating information at home and abroad. It serves military ends above all else," Lü Chao, an expert at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.  

"Japan's current move to overhaul its intelligence system inevitably brings to mind Tokko (Special Higher Police), the repressive militarist secret police that crushed dissent and enforced conformity during wartime aggression against China," said Lü, "Before World War II, Japan was known for its massive investment in intelligence operations and extensive intelligence resources, which played a pivotal role during wartime."

Having committed appalling atrocities in World War II, Japan's notorious intelligence network was weakened and dismantled in the post-war era, and Japan long hesitated to openly revitalize it, Lü said. 

Shortly after the bill was passed, Nikkei described the move as "Japan's biggest intelligence reform since World War II," saying the new legislation "brings Tokyo closer to establishing an equivalent of the CIA." 

"Japan's Intelligence Reform is Just One Piece of the Security Puzzle," wrote Japan Forward, an English-language news and opinion site launched by Sankei Shimbun. It said that the intelligence reform pushes Japan forward on the path toward becoming a "normal nation" and building a "strong Japan."

Japan's move to reorganize and expand intelligence capabilities represents a major attempt to revive its wartime intelligence capacity, the expert said. "It also undermines Japan's pacifist constitution and drives the country further down the path of neo-militarism."

Beyond this bill, Japan has also seen other dangerous developments in the intelligence sector recently.

In a report on May 22, the Nikkei said that it has learned that Japan and the Philippines will begin formal negotiations to conclude an information security agreement that would allow the exchange of classified security data.

"Sixth Eye In-The-Making? Rise of Japan's National Intelligence Agency," the Geopolitical Monitor ran the headline in a previous story.

According to Xiang Haoyu, a distinguished research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, Japan's overhaul of its intelligence agencies serves Japan's broader planning for overseas military activities. By unifying capabilities in foreign intelligence, counter-espionage and cyber intelligence, Japan will become deeply integrated into the US-led intelligence alliance.

This move may disrupt the existing security landscape in East Asia, arouse vigilance and defensive responses among regional countries, and likely escalate intelligence rivalry and clandestine confrontations, undermining regional stability, said the expert.