Japan launched its National Intelligence Bureau on Friday, giving the country¡¯s central intelligence coordinator a more prominent place within its national security apparatus.

The bureau has a statutory mandate to integrate and organize material from across the government to inform the political leadership directly on intelligence-related matters and to set priorities independently of other ministries¡¯ policy agendas.

¡°The establishment of this council marks the first step in intelligence reform,¡± Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Friday.