TOKYO, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- An intelligence unit of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) secretly compiled personal profiles of Japanese citizens using a wide-ranging checklist covering their beliefs, ideologies and sexual orientation, local media reported Wednesday.
The Field Intelligence Unit, based at Camp Asaka in the Tokyo metropolitan area, systematically collected personal information without disclosing its members' identities or affiliations and compiled the data into reports, potentially raising questions about compliance with Japan's personal information protection law, the report said, citing former unit members and other sources.
The unit justified the practice as necessary to assess the beliefs and principles of individuals who could potentially serve as intelligence sources, the report said.
The unit, which reportedly has around 50 personnel and is headed by a lieutenant colonel, was established in 2007 as part of the GSDF's efforts to gather intelligence and build local networks for overseas deployments, the report said. ■