July 31, 2026

In response to an investigative scoop by the Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun revealing that the Ground Self-Defense Force Central Information Unit at Camp Asaka (located on the Tokyo-Saitama border) had been collecting citizens’ private information, local peace activists protested to the Ministry of Defense on July 30, calling the action “citizen surveillance.”

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Shiokawa Tetsuya and JCP members of the Saitama Prefectural Assembly accompanied the activists.

According to the newspaper, the “Field Information Unit” which is an overseas intelligence-gathering division of the GSDF Central Information Unit collected personal data on citizens, including NPO representatives, university professors, and experts in international or security affairs, regarding their patriotism, political views, and beliefs. Reportedly, data on at least several thousand individuals may be on file.

One activist asked if the reported content is true and, if so, what the purpose of this intelligence gathering is. A ministry official avoided answering, stating that responding would “reveal our intelligence-gathering capabilities.”

Referring to the newly established “National Intelligence Council” which centralizes information from the Defense Ministry and the Public Security Intelligence Agency, Shiokawa pointed out that the risk of infringing on individual privacy will increase. He said that it is unacceptable for the government to perform covert ideological profiling to monitor its people.

He demanded that the Defense Ministry confirm the existence of the intelligence-gathering files and disclose the internal regulations of the Field Information Unit.

Past related articles:
> Amid public protest, bill leading to intensification of general public surveillance becomes law [May 27 & 28, 2026]
> LDP proposes strengthening of spying and wiretapping capabilities [March 5, 2026]
> Lawyers oppose an ‘anti-spy law’ and a ‘national intelligence agency’ [February 26, 2026]