Faisal Mahmud
04 November 2026•Update: 04 November 2026
- Unit reportedly gathered information on religious beliefs, political views and sexual orientation, potentially violating privacy laws
- Extent to which sensitive personal information was shared within Japanese military remains unclear
An intelligence unit of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) secretly collected sensitive personal information on people in Japan, including their religious beliefs, political views and sexual orientation, potentially violating privacy laws, Kyodo News reported Wednesday.
The unit, based at Camp Asaka in Tokyo, systematically gathered the information without revealing its members' identities or military affiliation, the news agency said, citing former personnel and other sources.
The data were compiled into reports covering 41 categories, including physical characteristics, addresses, telephone numbers, employment details and financial circumstances.
The unit reportedly justified the practice as necessary to assess the beliefs and principles of individuals who could serve as intelligence sources.
Established in 2007 following intelligence-gathering difficulties during Japan's military deployment to Iraq, the unit comprises around 50 personnel, according to the report.
Its members approached foreign-born restaurant owners living in Japan and Japanese researchers to obtain information about regions including Africa and Southeast Asia.
The intelligence reports, titled "Personal Basic Source Data," were reportedly stored internally without being registered as official documents.
The practice could violate Japan's personal information protection law, which prohibits government agencies from obtaining information through deception, as well as legislation governing public records.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi previously declined to acknowledge the reported activities, saying authorities had not confirmed any wrongdoing.
It remains unclear how widely the information was shared within the military.
