⚡Japan's Minister Takaichi launches a panel to study the creation of a domestic intelligence agency akin to the CIA.

What it means

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has launched an expert panel to develop a centralized national intelligence agency, modeled on the U.S. CIA. The panel held its first meeting on September 28, 2026, and is tasked with recommending ways to improve Japan's intelligence gathering and counter-espionage capabilities, which are currently fragmented across multiple ministries.

Accuracy & sourcesSourced

The claim is well-sourced from official government actions, reported by The Japan Times and Bloomberg, both reputable secondary sources. The primary source is the Japanese government's announcement of the panel's inaugural meeting, making the reporting reliable and close to the event.

How new

Genuinely new: the panel's first meeting occurred on September 28, 2026, and coverage appeared the same day.

Go deeper

• JIJI Press — first to publish