Japan says it must better combat foreign spies on its soil

Japan said on July 13 that it recognised the need to counter foreign intelligence better after the New York Times reported that Russia had turned the country into a "den of spies" and a key source of weapons components.



The NYT, in an investigation published on July 12, reported that thanks to "weak espionage laws", Moscow was using Japan as a key hub for intelligence gathering and procurement of dual-use technology needed for its war against Ukraine.



Japan's chief government spokesman Minoru Kihara said on July 13: "We recognise that in a rapidly changing security environment, there is a growing need to counter foreign intelligence activities – such as the acquisition of critical information – that threaten Japan's national security."



Declining to comment directly on the US news publication’s report, Kihara told reporters that Tokyo "must address this issue with even greater rigour".



The report cited Ukrainian government estimates that 90 per cent of Russian missiles and drones contain Japanese components.