New intelligence body meets in 'spy paradise' Japan
A woman passes a wall with a notice saying security cameras are active in the area in Tokyo on July 31, 2026. (AFP)
Japan's National Intelligence Bureau held its first meeting on July 31, a body aimed at centralising information-gathering and addressing accusations that the country is a "spy paradise".
Under a bill enacted in May, Japan has upgraded an existing intelligence body to serve as the central command for collecting and analysing information related to security and public safety.
The new entity will collate information gathered by different bodies like the police and the defence ministry and report to the National Intelligence Council, also newly created and headed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
