Kempeitai

Literally, the kempetai were the military police and counterintelligence organization of the Imperial Japanese Army. In their military police role, they reported directly to the Army Minister (Japan) rather than to the Army command.

Along with the naval and military police, the tokeitai,e kempetai, had extended beyond their original counterintelligence functions. While the Civilian Spy Service and the Thought Police (Japan) were separate, non-military organizations, the kempetai was also known as the Special Service Organ, and carried out operations, not always authorized at the highest levels, in support of various ideologies and missions. The Army component was called the Special Service Organ.