Japan has acknowledged the need to more effectively counteract foreign espionage activities, following a comprehensive investigation by The New York Times (NYT) stating that Russia has turned the country into a “nest of spies” and a key source of components for weaponry, reports AFP on Tuesday.
In a report published on Sunday, the American newspaper reported that, due to a “weak” legal arsenal against espionage, Moscow is using Japan as a major platform for gathering information and supplying dual-use technologies necessary for its war in Ukraine.
“We acknowledge that, in a rapidly evolving security context, it is increasingly necessary to counteract foreign espionage activities – such as obtaining sensitive information – that threaten Japan’s national security”, declared on Monday the Secretary General of the Tokyo government, Minoru Kihara.
Refusing to directly comment on the NYT investigation, Kihara indicated to journalists that Tokyo “must handle this matter with even more rigor”.
The material published by NYT quotes estimates from the Ukrainian government according to which 90% of Russian missiles and drones contain Japanese components.
Details, HERE