FBI Chief Welcomes Planned Japanese Intelligence Bureau

Tokyo, May 8 (Jiji Press)--U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel has said he welcomes Japan's plan to establish a national intelligence bureau by reforming the existing Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office.

Japan's initiative would "greatly enhance our shared partnership," Patel said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday after a meeting in Washington with Japanese Cabinet Intelligence Director Kazuya Hara.

In the meeting, Hara explained the roles and purposes of the planned intelligence bureau.

The proposed bureau, included in a bill to establish a national intelligence council, is currently under deliberation in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament.

Noting that the planned bureau would "centralize fragmented intelligence" within the Japanese government, Patel said that he looks "forward to fully supporting them and working with them on cybersecurity, counterintelligence, espionage and counterterrorism to strengthen our cooperation."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]