Japan launched a government unit Tuesday to collect information on international terrorism as the nation seeks to strengthen security prior to hosting the Group of Seven summit next year, Kyodo reported.

The launch of the Counterterrorism Unit-Japan, which will be led by the prime minister's office but set up within the Foreign Ministry, was moved up from the initially-planned April in the wake of the fatal Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris.

With the launch of the unit, the government hopes to bolster its capabilities to curb terrorism and step up cooperation with intelligence organs of other countries, as Japan prepares for the Ise-Shima summit in May in Mie Prefecture that will gather leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

Sources: MENA