The Defense Ministry is facing questions following news reports that a Ground Self-Defense Force intelligence unit compiled personal information on Japanese academics and nonprofit representatives, including assessments of their patriotism, beliefs and sexual preferences.
The allegations were first reported Wednesday by the Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun, a local newspaper. It said reports known as “individual BSD,” or basic source data, were compiled by the Field Intelligence Unit, the overseas-intelligence arm of the GSDF’s Central Intelligence Command based at Camp Asaka, which straddles municipalities including Tokyo’s Nerima Ward and the city of Asaka in Saitama Prefecture.
The BSD reports contained names, photographs, academic and employment histories, family circumstances and financial information, according to the newspaper.
They also reportedly included fields assessing individuals’ attitudes toward Japan and the Self-Defense Forces.
Speaking Friday, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said that “no inappropriate activity by the unit has been confirmed at this point.”
Koizumi said the GSDF collects information on domestic experts familiar with overseas affairs as part of preparations for possible deployments abroad. He added that necessary information concerning the unit’s activities had been reported to the ministry.
A follow-up report published Friday said some files included information about sexual preferences, romantic relationships, body type and other physical characteristics.
The newspaper said its reporting was based on interviews with former members of the unit.
The profiles were apparently used to evaluate where people with certain expertise in overseas affairs could be used as human intelligence sources, according to the newspaper.
Former unit members told the newspaper that the individuals concerned were not asked for consent and that the legal basis and purpose of the information-gathering were not clearly explained to the unit.
The defense chief declined to comment on the details of the unit’s activities as doing so could reveal the force’s information-gathering capabilities.