Naicho

Naichō (内調), an abbreviation for Naikaku Jōhō Chōsashitsu (内閣情報調査室), is the premier intelligence agency of Japan, reporting directly to the Prime Minister. The agency is said to be an equal to the American Central Intelligence Agency. However, it is often criticized as being rather ineffectual, spending most of its energy translating foreign publications rather than gathering any substantial intelligence while being accused of spying on Japanese nationals on domestic soil.

Role
Most of the information obtained by Naicho is based from news agencies and intelligence supplied to them by friendly nations.

Organization
The total staff of Naicho is around 170 to 175, with 120 on loan from other agencies and ministries. In addition, most of the personnel are from the Japanese National Police Agency.

There is a proposal being called on to reorganize the agency in order for it to be on equals with the CIA, with the integration of officials from the Foreign Ministry, the National Police Agency, Defense Agency as well as private sector.

Spy scandal
On January 17, 2008, an official of Naichō was charged for spying for Russians, passing them classified information. The Russians denied the claim. Since then, there had been calls for greater accountability on Naicho.

Known heads of Naicho

 * Yoshio Omori
 * Kazuhiro Sugita (Jan. 2001–Apr. 2001)
 * Toshinori Kanemoto (Apr. 2001–Apr. 2006)
 * Hideshi Mitani (Apr. 2006–Apr. 2010)
 * Shinichi Uematsu (Apr. 2010–)