Overview
- Reporting published Thursday says the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's field intelligence unit secretly surveyed civilians without identifying itself and compiled the findings into organized internal reports.
- Former members told reporters the files included highly sensitive items such as individuals' ideology and sexual orientation and were used to identify so-called 'cooperators'.
- The unit reportedly imposed regular outreach quotas, including twice-monthly 'sales' targets, which former members say drove active engagement with civilians without their consent.
- Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has said no inappropriate activity has been confirmed and has not acknowledged the reported internal reports, while privacy experts say the practices could violate the Personal Information Protection Law.
- The unit was formed in 2007, is based at Asaka garrison with about 50 personnel assigned to countries in Africa and Asia, and the disclosures have prompted calls for an independent probe and clearer oversight to protect civil liberties.