Arya News - The establishment of the new bureau, which will be tasked with gathering and analysing information on espionage cases and terrorism, is aimed at enhancing law-enforcement authorities’ intelligence capabilities.
TOKYO – The National Police Agency has announced that it plans to establish a foreign intelligence bureau in a scheduled reorganization in April next year. The establishment of the new bureau, which will be tasked with gathering and analyzing information on espionage cases and terrorism, is aimed at enhancing law-enforcement authorities’ intelligence capabilities.
The NPA hopes that a revision bill to the Police Law will be submitted to the ordinary Diet session next year. It plans to upgrade the Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Department in the Security Bureau to an independent bureau, taking into consideration the government’s establishment on July 31 of the National Intelligence Bureau, which serves as the central command for the government’s intelligence operation.
Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, Japanese police strengthened their collection and analysis of terror-related information. Through the 2004 establishment of the Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Department, police have also deepened collaboration with intelligence agencies in other countries.
In the planned reorganization, the Foreign Affairs Division and the Counter International Terrorism Division in the department will be restructured into first to third divisions, with the aim of enhancing information gathering on countries such as Russia, China and North Korea.
The NPA currently has five bureaus, including the Criminal Affairs Bureau and the Community Safety Bureau, in addition to the Commissioner General’s Secretariat, which takes care of personnel affairs and accounting matters. This is expected to be the first new bureau established since the Cyber Affairs Bureau was created in 2022. The Commissioner General’s Secretariat will also establish a post to conduct cross-sectional analysis of security intelligence from each bureau.
To boost measures against “tokuryu” anonymous and fluid criminal groups, the NPA also plans to create a bureau-chief level post in the scheduled reorganization. In light of the fact that such criminal groups have established scam bases in areas such as Southeast Asia, the NPA is also considering creating an another position responsible for international investigations and smartphone analysis.
With the reorganization, the Organized Crime Department in the Criminal Affairs Bureau will be dissolved. Instead, new divisions, such as the ones engaging in organized crime groups and international investigations, will be established in the bureau as part of efforts to enhance its structure.
Police to introduce bodycams nationwide
The National Police Agency announced on Friday plans to expand the use of wearable cameras, which police officers attach to their uniforms or other locations, across all police forces nationwide.
The agency has allocated about ¥170 million in its budget request for fiscal 2027 in anticipation of deploying about 2,000 cameras.
The cameras will be worn by police officers on their chests or helmets during questioning and traffic enforcement. Footage will be used to review officers’ responses and collect evidence in cases and accidents.
The agency plans to deploy between 25 and 67 cameras per prefectural police force, depending on the force’s size, and will cover half the costs.
Since last September, pilot projects with wearable cameras have been being conducted at Tokyo Metropolitan Department and 12 other prefectural police departments, including Osaka and Fukuoka, with the community affairs, traffic enforcement and other divisions, and were confirmed to be effective.