TOKYO - Japan is considering obliging lobbyists for foreign governments to register with the government, as part of efforts to strengthen its monitoring capacity and deter spying, a government proposal showed Monday.
According to the proposal presented at a panel meeting at the prime minister's office, penalties would also be imposed for interference.
Based on the outcome of discussions, the government aims to submit related bills to parliament during next year's ordinary session at the earliest.
Panel members voiced no opposition to introducing the registration system or penalties, according to the government, though some cautioned that safeguards are needed to ensure that academic exchanges and reporting activities by news organizations are not suppressed.
The panel is expected to discuss what constitutes interference and how such safeguards should be structured.
The government cited three types of interference requiring close monitoring. These were secretly contacting politicians or civil servants while concealing ties to foreign governments to influence policymaking, disseminating information to influence public opinion or elections, and seeking policy changes through the provision of financial benefits.
To prevent interference, which has been observed around the world, a system that requires consultants, think tanks, advertising agencies and other bodies acting for foreign governments to register as "foreign agents" is necessary for transparency, the government argued.
Five points for consideration when implementing the system were identified in the meeting. These included gaining an understanding of current influence operations, determining which agents would be targeted, and safeguarding citizens' rights and freedoms.
