Japan’s parliament on Friday enacted legislation to establish a “security clearance” system, allowing critical government information to be classified on economic security grounds to prevent leaks to overseas entities.
Under the legislation, the government would be able to designate information as classified if it deems that its dissemination could undermine Japan’s national security and make it accessible only to individuals who have passed background checks.
The House of Councillors passed the bill with the backing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, as well as opposition parties, following its passage in the House of Representatives last month.
The government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who heads the conservative LDP, has claimed that the legislation will facilitate information-sharing with…