Japan Eyes Security Clearance System for Economic Security

Jiji Press

13:30 JST, February 15, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida asked economic security minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday to prepare legislation to introduce a system for authorizing access to confidential information linked to economic security.

The Kishida administration aims to submit an amendment bill to the economic security promotion law during the regular parliamentary session next year, informed sources said.

To grant people, not only in the public sector but also in the private sector, access to classified information under the proposed security clearance system, the government needs to give proper consideration to human rights because it has to check their personal data such as economic status.

At the day’s economic security promotion meeting, held at the prime minister’s office, Kishida called for setting up an expert panel to study for about a year the needs for the system and sort out issues involved.

The business circle has already requested that the government introduce a security clearance system to allow Japanese firm to smoothly participate in international projects on cutting-edge technologies, including quantum and artificial intelligence studies, people familiar with the matter said.

At a press conference the same day, Takaichi expressed her eagerness to create a system that is as good as those in the United States and Europe.