The Kōan Chōsachō is definitely still a big deal (though not quite the same as 公安庁). One of the things I took away from Richard Samuels' excellent book on this (Special Duty) is that various agencies and departments in Japan have spent years in turf wars over who has which powers - a pattern no doubt to be found in many other countries!
Japan does fine with IMINT (or GEOINT as it is called now) and SIGINT, but it has hesitated to get invoved in HUMINT activities. I understand that the PSIA has been pushing to send its people overseas and may be the only viable HUMINT service now. It's been trying to make up for its disastrous failure to pay attention to Aum Shinrikyo and to justify its existence in a society lacking internal threats.
Great read and I loved the Spy Family reference!
Thanks! Couldn't resist making that connection...!
Christopher do you by any chance have the Japanese names for these govt organizations you mention? 🙇🏻♂️
Hi Richard, yes certainly, the Cabinet Research Office is Naikaku Jōhō Shitsu and the Public Security Intelligence Agency is Kōan Chōsachō.
Many thanks. I always thought the 公安庁 was the main ‘intelligence’ agency. That cleared it up.
The Kōan Chōsachō is definitely still a big deal (though not quite the same as 公安庁). One of the things I took away from Richard Samuels' excellent book on this (Special Duty) is that various agencies and departments in Japan have spent years in turf wars over who has which powers - a pattern no doubt to be found in many other countries!
I have a feeling you will know this but just in case. Ian Flemings role in WWII.
https://podcasts.apple.com/jp/podcast/history-extra-podcast/id256580326?l=en-US&i=1000712606023
Looks great! Thanks for sharing.
Japan does fine with IMINT (or GEOINT as it is called now) and SIGINT, but it has hesitated to get invoved in HUMINT activities. I understand that the PSIA has been pushing to send its people overseas and may be the only viable HUMINT service now. It's been trying to make up for its disastrous failure to pay attention to Aum Shinrikyo and to justify its existence in a society lacking internal threats.