Kyodo news disclosed on Nov. 27 that the unit has carried out intelligence activities all by itself, quoting the testimonies of a former chief of staff of the Ground SDF and ex-director of the intelligence headquarters of the Defense Ministry of Japan and others.

According to Kyodo news, the unit has expanded its branches overseas since the start of the Cold War, its main objective was to gather intelligence about the former Soviet Union, China and the DPRK and it is now believed to be active in Russia, south Korea, Poland, etc.