TOKYO - JapanÂ’s army is to set up a new intelligence unit likely to include a human intelligence gathering service, the first for any branch of the modern nationÂ’s military, a leading daily said on Sunday. The service is needed because increasing Japanese military activities abroad have left its troops more vulnerable, requiring more detailed local intelligence, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
According to sources quoted by the daily, the Ground Self-Defence Force — Japan’s army in all but name — would form a central intelligence unit of about 600 members. Yomiuri said the human intelligence group, expected to have around 70 members, would gather information through methods that would include tapping cooperative local sources.
Officials at JapanÂ’s Defence Agency were unavailable for comment.
The Self-Defence Forces have a centralised intelligence unit created from all branches of the military, but Yomiuri said that until now the unit has been unable to use people to gather information, relying instead on satellite images, radio signals and analysis of foreign countriesÂ’ military affairs. |