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The Japanese government acknowledged on Monday the need to strengthen its efforts to counter foreign intelligence activities on its soil, after a report by The New York Times highlighted what it described as Russia's exploitation of Japan as a major hub for espionage and obtaining components used in military industries.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that Tokyo recognizes that 'in the rapidly changing security environment, the need to counter foreign intelligence activities, including attempts to obtain vital information that threatens national security, is increasing.'

Kihara added during a press conference that Japan 'will deal with this issue with greater strictness,' without directly commenting on what was reported in the US newspaper report.

A nest for spies

The New York Times reported in an investigation published on Sunday that Russia has turned Japan into what it described as a 'nest for spies,' taking advantage of espionage laws it deemed less strict compared to other Western countries, in addition to using it as a hub to obtain dual-use components and technologies used in the manufacture of weapons employed in the war in Ukraine.

According to the report, Ukrainian estimates indicate that about 90% of Russian missiles and drones contain Japanese components, reaching Moscow through indirect supply networks.

The investigation added that restrictions on direct exports to Russia have prompted supply networks to use intermediary companies and third countries, such as Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and Sri Lanka, to transport these components to Russian territory.

A view of the Japanese capital Tokyo (AFP)

Russian network

The report also indicated that Russian intelligence operations in Japan are run, according to the newspaper, by Maxim Vladimirovich Velichenkov, who works under the guise of an employee at the office of the Russian airline Aeroflot in Tokyo.

In a related context, Kihara explained that the Japanese parliament approved legislation this year paving the way for the creation of a new national agency to coordinate intelligence activities, a step aimed at enhancing the efficiency of security agencies that currently operate in a fragmented manner.

These developments come at a time when Japan is tightening its security measures in parallel with rising regional and international tensions, whether due to the Russian-Ukrainian war or the growing security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, as Tokyo seeks to enhance its defense and intelligence capabilities and protect supply chains for sensitive technologies.

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