Japan’s government says it recognises a growing need to counter foreign espionage after a New York Times investigation described Japan as being used by Russia for intelligence gathering and procurement. Multiple outlets report that the New York Times characterises Japan as a “den of spies” and a source of weapons components, attributing the alleged capability to gaps in Japan’s espionage and oversight framework. Japan’s officials respond by indicating the issue requires a heightened level of attention and “even greater rigour,” according to a government spokesman cited by The Guardian. The reporting also says the investigation links Russia’s alleged use of Japan to the acquisition of dual-use technology and related components that could support Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The outlets collectively frame the government’s position as a shift toward more robust counterintelligence and compliance measures, while the underlying allegations relate to how Russian efforts may exploit legal and regulatory weaknesses. No specific new laws or operational changes are detailed in the provided excerpts.